SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Playing on the road at Sacramento State on Monday, Stanford (14-4) scored twice in the second inning but could not hold the lead as the Hornets (18-6) scored two in the seventh and one in the ninth to walk off with a 3-2 victory.
Freshman Drew Bowser and junior Austin Kretzschmar contributed RBI-singles in the second inning, staking Stanford to the early 2-0 lead.
That two-run advantage held all the way into the seventh before a one-out walk got the ball rolling for Sacramento State. A Jorge Bojorquez single put two men aboard, setting the table for Matt Smith's two-RBI double to tie the game.
Smith cemented his name as the Monday hero in the bottom of the ninth, delivering a one-out RBI-single into shallow right-center field to chase home Torres and the game-winner. Torres had reached on a hit-by-pitch to start the frame.
Smith finished the contest 3 for 5 with the double and three driven in.
Fifth-year senior Zach Grech was saddled with the loss after allowing the run in the ninth. With the decision, Grech fell to 3-1.
Freshman Brandt Pancer pitched well in relief, tossing 4 1/3 innings and allowing one run on five hits with two strikeouts. Junior Alex Williams made his first appearance of the year as the Stanford starter, tossing a scoreless first inning.
Offensively, sophomore Adam Crampton finished 2 for 4, with his second hit of the game breaking a string of 15 straight retired by Sacramento State pitchers from the end of the fourth through two out in the ninth.
Stanford will now travel to Washington State for a three-game Pac-12 series beginning at 4 p.m. PT on Thursday.
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