STANFORD, Calif. – No. 9 Arizona (32-12, 16-7 Pac-12) scored 20 runs on 15 hits and 15 walks to post a 20-2 victory and even a three-game series with No. 16 Stanford (25-10, 11-6 Pac-12) on Saturday afternoon from Sunken Diamond.
The Wildcats scored in seven of the nine innings, including posting three in the first, six in the second, three in the third, one in the fourth, three in the fifth, one in the sixth and three in the eighth.
Stanford's lone damage was done by senior Nick Brueser who belted his seventh homer of the year in the second inning.
Sophomore Quinn Mathews got the start and took the loss for the Cardinal, allowing five runs on two hits and two walks over 1 1/3 innings. The left-hander dropped to 4-1 on the season – snapping a string of five straight decisions without a loss.
Stanford used six pitchers in the setback, with Drew Dowd, Austin Weiermiller, Jonathan Worley, Ryan Bruno and Joey Dixon all taking the mound. Dixon struck out two over the final 1 1/3 innings.
Overshadowed by the offensive output, left-hander Garrett Irvin was stellar in a start for Arizona. Irvin allowed just the two runs on Brueser's homer, eventually finishing with five hits allowed and two walks while striking out five over seven innings to improve to 4-1 on the season.
Daniel Susac finished the game 4 for 5 with a double and his 12th home run of the season, collecting two runs scored and five RBIs along the way. Shortstop Nik McClaughry fell a double short of the cycle, going 3 for 5 with his first career triple and home run while scoring three times and driving in three. The Wildcats managed eight extra-base hits after being held without one on Friday night.
The 20 runs allowed by Stanford are the most surrendered by the Cardinal since a 21-11 setback at Arizona on April 28, 1991. The 15 walks are the most since at least 2001. The previous high since that season was 13 against Rice on February 20, 2010.
The two teams will decide the series at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday.
