STANFORD, Calif. – Jack Little mowed down the final eight outs for his 15th save of the season and No. 3 Stanford earned the sweep with a 4-2 win over Washington State on Sunday at Sunken Diamond.
"What you saw today was Pac-12 baseball," said Clarke and Elizabeth Nelson Director of Baseball David Esquer. "Every team in this league is going to fight, and we knew that going in. We're pleased we could send off the seniors with a win – they set the tone for this team, and the accountability they've brought to our club is a big reason for our success."
The Cardinal (43-8 overall, 21-6 Pac-12) moved within one game of clinching the Pac-12 Conference Championship, 2.5 games ahead of any other program. Jacob Palisch (3-1) earned the win, tossing 2.0 shutout innings in relief of Brendan Beck, who surrendered two runs on six hits in 4.1 frames.
Andrew Daschbach hit his 16th home run of the season, and Beau Branton, Tim Tawa and Alec Wilson each drove in a run. Daschbach made it 1-0 in the second, crushing the first pitch he saw well beyond the fence in left field for his second long ball in as many games.
Have a look at Daschbach Dinger No. 16 on the season. ?????? #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/IpydcIkaaj
— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) May 20, 2018
The Cougars (15-31-1, 7-19-1) struck back in the fourth when J.J. Hancock roped a two-out single up the middle to score two and give Stanford its first deficit of the series. The Cardinal responded in the sixth with three two-out RBI singles in a row by Wilson, Branton and Tawa. Will Matthiessen and Christian Molfetta each scored runs with the latter reaching base three times on the day.
Thank you, seniors. #GoStanford
A post shared by Stanford Baseball?? (@stanfordbsb) on May 20, 2018 at 12:19pm PDT
Little relieved Palisch with one out in the seventh – he struck out five in 2.1 innings, allowing just one base runner. With 15 saves, Little ranks second on Stanford's all-time single-season list behind Colton Hock (16 in 2017).
"Little has been absolutely fantastic for us all season," said Esquer. "It has been such a luxury to have him back there, and we feel confident throwing him in almost any situation."
No. 3 Stanford wraps up the regular season this week when it travels to Seattle for a three-game series at Washington, starting Thursday night at 7 p.m. PT. All three contests will air on Pac-12 Networks – Friday's game will begin at 7 p.m. with Saturday's finale set for 3 p.m. Live statistics for all games will be available at GoStanford.com.
Cardinal Notes
- Stanford would clinch the Pac-12 Conference Championship on Thursday with a win at Washington. Stanford currently sits 2.5 games ahead of Oregon State, who lost at USC on Sunday. The championship would be Stanford's first since 2004.
- Branton and Tawa each reached base twice with one hit and one walk apiece – Nico Hoerner reached base twice via walk.
- Brandon Wulff made his second straight start after missing seven weeks with an injury – Wulff also played the national anthem prior to Sunday's game.
- Stanford four graduating seniors – Branton, Jesse Kuet, Bryce Carter and John Henry Styles – were honored prior to first pitch.