Box Score
STANFORD, Calif. – Freshman Brock Jones hit a solo home run and an RBI double to lead Stanford to a 3-2 win over Grand Canyon, Saturday, at Sunken Diamond.
Stanford (2-8) evened the series with Grand Canyon (6-4) after the teams played an 18-inning marathon on Friday night. The Cardinal started nine underclassmen, including eight freshman on Saturday.
Freshman Quinn Mathews earned the start on the mound, throwing 5.2 innings and giving up one run on eight hits with three strikeouts. Freshman Max Meier earned the win for the Cardinal, while senior Zach Grech notched his first save of the year.
Jones, who is also a member of the Cardinal football team, was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI on Saturday. The home run was the first of his collegiate career.
Grand Canyon struck first, scoring one run on two hits in the top of the first inning.
Right fielder Owen Cobb registered the first hit of the game for the Cardinal, an RBI double to left field, scoring catcher Kody Huff from second. Huff reached on an error by GCU third baseman Jonny Weaver to lead off the third inning.
Jones led off the seventh inning with his solo home run to give the Cardinal the go-ahead run.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, junior Tim Tawa hit a single up the middle. He then stole second to move into scoring position. Jones' double brought him home, giving the Cardinal a cushion on the scoreboard.
Grand Canyon got one back in the top of the ninth as second baseman Drew Smith hit a single to left field, scoring Brock Burton. Stanford replaced Carson Rudd with Grech on the mound, who rung up pinch hitter David Avitia to seal the win.
Stanford and Grand Canyon close out the series on Sunday with the rubber match at 1 p.m.
