STANFORD, Calif. – Sophomore Tommy Troy connected for a pair of home runs and Drew Bowser added a grand slam as No. 2 Stanford (42-14) scored 20 runs on 21 hits to defeat Binghamton (22-29) 20-7 to open play from the Stanford Regional on Friday afternoon.
The 20 runs are the most for the Cardinal in a postseason game – topping the 19 scored three times previously, including most recently vs. Richmond on June 1, 2003.
With the win, Stanford has won 17 consecutive games – the longest unbeaten streak since opening the 1998 season 16-0-1. The current win streak is the longest since posting 18 straight from April 16 – May 24, 1996.
Binghamton got on the board first in the first inning, plating a run on three singles, but Cardinal starter Joey Dixon limited the damage by way of a double play. The double play was the first of two spun by the Cardinal in the victory.
After a scoreless first inning for Stanford, the Cardinal exploded for 10 runs on nine hits in the second – capped by a grand slam from Bowser. The homer was Bowser's 13th of the season and his second grand slam. He would finish the game 2 for 5 with a double and five RBIs.
The 10-run inning was the first for Stanford since scoring 10 in the fourth inning at Utah on May 5, 2018.
The second inning also began a 4 for 5 day from Troy as the Cardinal designated hitter contributed a go-ahead RBI-single. Troy, who scored four times and drove in five on Friday, would add a double and a run scored in the fifth, a solo homer in the sixth and a three-run shot in the seventh before walking in his final plate appearance in the eighth.
The multi-homer game is the first of Troy's career, while the five RBIs also mark a new career best.
Brett Barrera, Braden Montgomery and Eddie Park each finished with three hits and two runs scored, as all but one Cardinal starter had at least one hit. Carter Graham, Montgomery and Adam Crampton all drove in two runs.
Graduate student Joe Lomuscio put an exclamation mark on the historic win, launching a pinch-hit, two-run home run to left field in the eighth to push Stanford to the 20-run plateau.
Sophomore Tommy O'Rourke earned the victory after pitching one inning of relief replacing Dixon. Dixon pitched the first four innings and allowed four runs on eight hits. Sophomore Brandt Pancer was impressive in relief, allowing just one run on two hits with three strikeouts over three innings of work before handing the ball to Max Meier for a scoreless ninth.
Binghamton put pressure on the Cardinal all game, scoring seven runs on 15 hits. The Bearcats put the first two men aboard in five of the first six innings, plating the leadoff runner in four of the frames.
Stanford will advance to play the winner of Texas State and UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at 7 p.m.