STANFORD, Calif. – Senior Tim Tawa's RBI-double into the left field corner broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning as Stanford (5-1) earned a 3-2 victory on Friday over San Francisco (4-6).
With the win, the Cardinal has taken the first two in the series with the Dons.
Stanford's top two hitters in the lineup provided the bulk of the damage in the victory, as Tawa finished 3 for 4 with two doubles and the game-winning RBI while hitting second in the order. Freshman Tommy Troy filled the leadoff spot, going 3 for 4 with two runs scored, a pair of doubles and one RBI.
Troy narrowly missed his first collegiate home run as he sent a ball over the wall in left-center field only to have Don left fielder Harris Williams bring it back for a double while losing his glove.
Sophomore Quinn Mathews twirled a gem while leaving with a no decision. The left-hander kept San Francisco off the board through six innings, but surrendered a two-run home run to Jacob Westerman to tie the game at 2-2 in the seventh. Mathews finished the game having allowed the two runs on five hits with four strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings of work.
Freshman Brandt Pancer contributed an inning of scoreless relief before Austin Weiermiller entered with two on and one out in the eighth and got out of the jam to keep the game tied. Weiermiller returned with the lead in the ninth and promptly retired the side in order to pick up the win and move to 1-0 on the season. The left-hander struck out three over his 1 2/3 innings, including the final two he faced.
M8 | ?? 2, ?????? 2@austinwires22 comes on with two on and one out and gets out of the jam!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/WgVs3qkcsm
— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) March 6, 2021
Don starter Landen Bourassa also impressed, logging seven innings while allowing three runs on nine hits with two strikeouts before being saddled with the tough-luck loss. Jesse Barron entered with Troy at first base and nobody out in the eighth and allowed the go-ahead RBI-double to Tawa to send Bourassa to a 1-1 record.
B8 | ?? 3, ?????? 2
— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) March 6, 2021
That man has done it again...@tim_tawa with the go-ahead RBI-double to take the lead!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/s4nWJQ2cxR
The four-game series with San Francisco will now shift to Benedetti Diamond for the final two games. Saturday's first pitch is slated for 2 p.m.