| Floor | Pommel | Rings | Vault | P. Bars | H. Bar | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STANFORD | 70.850 | 64.400 | 68.100 | 71.200 | 70.900 | 65.800 | 411.250 |
| California | 67.600 | 61.150 | 64.850 | 69.350 | 65.700 | 63.700 | 392.350 |
BERKELEY, Calif. - Opening the 2019 season at the Cal Benefit Cup on Saturday, No. 2 Stanford captured every event en route to topping No. 11 California, 411.250-392.350, from the Recreational Sports Facility.
Six Cardinal gymnasts took home top-honors in an event, including senior Grant Breckenridge who placed first in the parallel bars and all-around competition. The native of Libertyville, Ill. posted a 14.650 on the parallel bars, Stanford's final rotation, sealing an 80.750 in the all-around.
What a way to close out the event! @G_Breckenridge nails down a 14.650 before Blake Sun posts a 14.350. #GoStanford
— Stanford Gymnastics (@StanfordMGym) January 13, 2019
Stanford got off to a bit of a rough start on pommel horse, but eventually settled in to combine for a 64.400 in the event. Junior Joey Ringer led a trio of Cardinal gymnasts in the event, posting a mark of 13.650 while anchoring the lineup, to earn the event title. Sophomore Blake Sun (13.150) and freshman Ian Gunther (12.950) followed to round out the top-three.
Rotation two sent Stanford to the floor, where junior Connor Lewis set a new career high with a mark of 14.700 – capturing his third career title in the event. Junior Bailey Perez followed in second place (14.500) before Bryan Perla registered a mark of 14.450 to set a new high-water mark for his career.
Perla continued his solid evening in the vault one rotation later, leading a pack of four Cardinal performers with a career-high tying 14.500. Freshman Brody Malone, who placed second overall in the all-around, managed a 14.450 in the vault, followed by Perez (14.300) and Breckenridge (14.150).
Malone, a native of Summerville, Ga., went fourth in rotation four, stamping a 13.750 next to his name in the still rings. Although strong, that mark was ultimately surpassed by Gunther at 14.050, leaving the two Card freshmen atop the leaderboard in the event.
We have a new leader in the clubhouse! Houston native Ian Gunther turns in a stellar performance and is rewarded with a 14.050. #GoStanford ??
— Stanford Gymnastics (@StanfordMGym) January 13, 2019
??: https://t.co/jWAWR1DLYO
Opening the fifth rotation, junior David Jessen tied for the event title in the high bar, registering a mark of 13.500 to match the score of Cal's Aaron Mah. The high bar event title was Jessen's second of his career after capturing the honor at the Stanford Open as a freshman in 2017.
The Cardinal finished the meet strong, hitting on all parallel bar routines. Including Breckenridge's stellar score of 14.650, four of the six Cardinal gymnasts registered scores of 14.050 or better, including Sun with a score of 14.350 to claim second.
??to what Thom Glielmi had to say after Stanford's season-opening win over Cal at the Cal Benefit Cup! #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/yYOovmjsmz
— Stanford Gymnastics (@StanfordMGym) January 13, 2019
Stanford will return to action on Saturday at 7 p.m. when it hosts the Stanford Open from Burnham Pavilion.