SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Sophomore Jake Sapien and junior Carter Graham each collected four hits, with Graham launching two homers and driving in seven runs, to help lead the No. 4 Stanford Cardinal (32-13) past the Santa Clara Broncos (27-16) 20-17 on Tuesday night in the final midweek game of the season.
Graham's career-best seven-RBI night included a pair of two-run home runs and two doubles as he finished 4-for-5 with four runs scored and a walk. Sapien also went 4-for-5, scoring three runs and driving in two while managing a double.
The four-hit game was the fifth of Graham's career (last: April 7, 2023 at California), while Sapien surpassed his previous high of three from earlier this season against CSU Bakersfield on March 5. Junior Eddie Park also contributed a big day offensively, going 3-for-5 with his fourth career homer, three runs scored and two RBIs. Braden Montgomery (2-for-5), Alberto Rios (2-for-5) and Owen Cobb (2-for-5) all posted two-hit nights.
Stanford as a team connected for six home runs, including the two from Graham and one apiece from Park, Montgomery, Rios and Cobb. Graham and Montgomery have now hit 11 homers this season, while Rios added to his team-lead with his 13th of the year and Cobb pushed his total to five.
Junior Drew Dowd (7-2) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Stanford. The left-hander went one shutout inning while giving up two hits, allowing no walks and striking out one. Freshman Nick Dugan also made an impact on the mound for the Cardinal, throwing 3 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on two hits, with one walk and three strikeouts. Freshman Trevor Moore finished the game on the hill for Stanford, allowing a run on one hit and two walks while striking out two to strand the tying run on the bases.
The Cardinal scored in six different innings on the way to the win, including putting up two in the first and second, three in the third, one in the sixth, eight in the seventh and four in the ninth. The game was tied 8-8 headed into the final third of the contest, but the Cardinal put the game away with the eight runs on seven hits in the seventh. Graham's two-RBI double and a two-RBI single from Sapien highlighted the frame.
GAME NOTES
» The Cardinal has now won five straight games, eight of the last nine, nine of 11, and 10 of 13 overall.
» Every Stanford starter reached base safely in the win.
» Graham launched two-run homers on the first pitch he saw in the first and third innings ... the multi-homer game was the fifth in Graham's career (last: April 18, 2023 vs. Sacramento State) ... he has now hit safely in 12 consecutive games.
» Despite the two teams trading shots throughout the game, Stanford took the lead at 7-5 in the top half of the third and never trailed the rest of the way.
» Six Cardinal had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Drew Bowser (1-for-5) and Rios extended their hitting streaks to nine games, while Sapien has now hit safely in four straight.
» Stanford's six homers are the most for the Cardinal since connecting for eight against Connecticut in the Super Regional round on June 11, 2022.
» The Cardinal out-hit the Broncos at a 19-17 clip as the two teams combined for 37 runs on 36 hits - including nine home runs and six doubles.
» Stanford went 9-for-16 (.563) with runners in scoring position.
» The Cardinal got two hits in four at-bats with the bases loaded.
» Stanford pitchers faced 59 Santa Clara hitters in the game, allowing 12 ground balls and five fly balls while striking out 11.
» The Cardinal drew seven walks from Santa Clara pitching.
» The Cardinal used 10 pitchers in the victory, including three in the first inning as Santa Clara scored five times in the opening frame.
» Santa Clara was led offensively by junior Efrain Manzo, who went 3-for-7 with a double, a home run and five RBIs.
