STANFORD, Calif. - Junior Drew Bowser connected for a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to hand No. 9 Stanford (14-5, 5-2 Pac-12) a 6-4 victory over Utah (10-12, 2-5 Pac-12) on Saturday in the opening game of a three-game Pac-12 series with the Utes.
Bowser finished the game 3-for-5 with two runs scored and his fourth homer of the year.
Junior Drew Dowd (3-1) got the win out of the bullpen for Stanford, tossing one shutout inning, giving up one hit, no walks and striking out one. Senior Quinn Mathews started the ballgame and went 7 1/3 innings, surrendering two runs, both earned, on seven hits, walking two and striking out seven before leaving with a 3-2 advantage.
After Stanford scored three times in the second, Utah answered with single runs in the third and sixth to cut the deficit to one. Mathews retired the first hitter in the eighth before turning the ball over to Brandt Pancer. Utah recorded a single and a two-run home run to take the lead, but junior Alberto Rios hit the second pitch of the bottom of the eighth out to left field to tie the game at 4-4 and set the table for Bowser's heroics in the ninth.
Zac McCleve (0-1) was ultimately saddled with the loss after allowing two runs on three hits over 1 1/3 inning. McCleve gave way to Micah Ashman after allowing a one-out single, and Ashman ultimately allowed the walk-off homer to Bowser.
NEXT UP
Stanford and Utah will continue the three-game series on Sunday when the two teams meet at 1:05 p.m.
GAME NOTES
» The walk-off win was the first for Stanford since Trevor Haskins' RBI-single in the bottom of the ninth against No. 13 Texas State on June 6, 2022.
» The walk-off home run was the first for a Cardinal player since Kody Huff's solo homer to beat San Jose State 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth on May 11, 2021.
» The quality start was Mathews' ninth in his last 14 career starts.
» Stanford pitchers limited Utah to just 1-for-10 (.100) with runners in scoring position.
» Stanford pitchers faced 38 Utah hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out eight.
» The Cardinal drew five walks from Utah pitching.
» Utah was led offensively by junior Davis Cop, who went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.