STANFORD, Calif. - Junior Tommy Troy connected for a grand slam to highlight a seven-run seventh inning as No. 6 Stanford (41-17) defeated No. 25 Texas A&M (38-26) 13-5 on Sunday night in a must-win game for the Cardinal from the Stanford Regional.
Stanford's win was the second in as many elimination games on Sunday after defeting Cal State Fullerton earlier in the day to advance to the game against the Aggies. With the win, the Cardinal forces a winner-take-all game against Texas A&M on Monday at 6 p.m. The winner will advance to the Super Regional round against Texas.
Troy finished the game 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double and the grand slam. The round-tripper was Troy's 17th homer of the year and his second of the day after connecting for a three-run shot in a 6-5 win over Cal State Fullerton in the early game.
Junior Carter Graham also provided two big hits for the Cardinal, lacing a two-RBI double into left-center field in the top of the first before adding a bases-clearing three-RBI double in a four-run second that handed Stanford a lead it would not relinquish. Graham finished the game 2-for-4 with the five RBIs - his fifth game of five-plus RBIs this season.
Freshman Malcolm Moore also helped out for the Cardinal, putting together three hits in five trips to the plate while adding a home run and two RBI. The home run - a two-run shot in the seventh - was his 13th of the year.
Junior Brandt Pancer (3-1) got the win out of the bullpen for Stanford. The right-hander went 2 1/3 shutout innings, giving up one hit. Freshman Nick Dugan was outstanding in his second appearance of the day, tossing the final 3 2/3 shutout innings while allowing four hits, walking one and striking out six. Dugan recorded the victory against the Titans earlier in the day, pitching 3 2/3 and allowing one run on three hits.
UP NEXT
Stanford and Texas A&M will play a winner-take-all regional final on Monday at 6 p.m. The winner will advance to a super regional against Texas.
GAME NOTES
» Tommy Troy is now hitting .647 (11-for-17) with seven runs scored, a double, three homers and 10 RBIs in the Stanford Regional.
» Monday night will mark the fourth consecutive regional that Stanford will have played a winner-take-all game, advancing in all three prior (2019, 2021, 2022).
» Stanford won five elimination games on the road to Omaha in 2022.
» The Cardinal is 10-0 in winner-take-all postseason games played at Sunken Diamond.
» With two more on Sunday night, Stanford has now connected for nine home runs in the postseason this year.
» Every Stanford starter reached base safely in the win.
» Stanford's highest scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed seven runs across.
» Texas A&M responded with four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-2 lead, but Graham's three-RBI double in the second put the Cardinal on top for good.
» Stanford pitching allowed four in the first, but limited the Aggies to just one run over the final eight innings.
» Five Cardinal had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Cardinal out-hit the Aggies at a 16-11 clip.
» Stanford went 6-for-14 (.429) with runners in scoring position.
» Stanford pitchers limited Texas A&M to just 1-for-9 (.111) with runners in scoring position.
» Stanford pitchers faced 44 Texas A&M hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out nine.
» The Cardinal drew six walks from Texas A&M pitching.
» Texas A&M was led offensively by freshman Jace LaViolette, who went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.