LUBBOCK, Texas – Junior Alex Williams tossed a two-hit shutout and sophomore Brock Jones launched three home runs as Stanford (38-15) defeated Texas Tech (39-17) 9-0 from Rip Griffin Park to sweep its way to the College World Series.
Stanford will make its 17th appearance in the College World Series, including its first since 2008.
Jones, who finished 3 for 5 with four runs scored and six RBIs, got the scoring started in the first inning, launching a two-out home run out to right-center field. He connected for a grand slam – Stanford's seventh of the season – in the sixth, before adding a leadoff homer in the eighth to push the Cardinal advantage to 9-0.
The multi-homer game is the second of the season for Jones after hitting a pair at San Francisco on March 7, 2021. The three-homer game is the first for the Cardinal since Andrew Daschbach had four against Cal Poly on May 14, 2019.
Slightly overshadowed by the offensive outpouring, Williams was dominant in posting the shutout. The right-hander allowed just two hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch while matching a career high with 10 strikeouts. The complete game was the second of Williams' career, with both coming in the postseason, after registering his first against Sacramento State in the regional round on June 2, 2019.
Williams, who improved to 4-2 with the victory, faced one over the minimum with six strikeouts through four innings. He faced only one jam in the game, hitting a batter and issuing a walk to start the fifth. Williams struck out the next batter, induced a pop up to Kody Huff behind the plate, and struck out the ninth hitter in the lineup to escape unscathed.
The only other baserunner Texas Tech managed against Williams came in the seventh as Cole Stilwell singled with one out before being stranded there. The native of Castro Valley, Calif. retired the final seven he faced, finishing the game having thrown 124 pitches – including 75 for strikes.
With Jones leading the way, Stanford belted a season-high-tying four home runs for the fourth time this year. Freshman Tommy Troy extended Stanford's lead to 3-0 with a two-run, opposite-field homer in the second.
That 3-0 lead held until the bottom of the fifth when Christian Robinson punched an infield single back up middle, allowing Jones to spin third and score from second on the play push the lead to 4-0.
Jones doubled the advantage to 8-0 in the sixth, connecting for the grand slam to plate Troy, Eddie Park and Tim Tawa. Troy and Park reached on walks to start the inning before Tawa got aboard on a fielder's choice and an error that allowed Troy to advance to third safely.
Texas Tech starter Patrick Monteverde was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs on four hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings. The decision dropped the left-hander to 7-4 on the season.
The road series win is the first over a top-10 opponent for the Cardinal since taking a 2-1 series victory at No. 8 Arizona State from May 3-5, 2013.
Stanford will open College World Series play on Saturday against NC State at 11 a.m. PT from TD Ameritrade Park Omaha.