STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford (9-9, 3-3 Pac-12) led 3-0 after three innings and 5-3 after six, but allowed eight runs in the final three innings to drop the rubber game of a three-game series 11-8 to USC (6-13, 3-3 Pac-12) on Sunday from Sunken Diamond.
Errors proved costly down the stretch, as the Cardinal allowed two runs on two hits and three errors in the seventh and four runs (two unearned) while committing one error in the eighth.
Showing fight and trying to build momentum for the upcoming week, Stanford managed to push three runs across on a pair of pinch-hit homers in the bottom of the ninth. Charlie Saum led off with a solo shot to left field before Saborn Campbell lofted a pinch-hit double down the line in left to set the table for Gabe Springer's first career homer – a two-run homer to right field.
Despite the long ball giving Josh Blum struggles in the final frame, the right-hander settled down to retire the next three hitters without incident. Blum contributed the final three innings for USC, picking up the victory and moving to 1-0 thanks to the offensive outburst in the final third of the game.
Sophomore Toran O'Harran was charged with the loss after surrendering the go-ahead run in the eighth inning while recording two outs for the Cardinal. The right-hander dropped to 0-1 on the season.
Juniors Temo Becerra and Trevor Haskins each had two hits for the Cardinal, with the duo collecting back-to-back doubles in the second inning to help Stanford jump out to a 2-0 lead after two.
After a sac fly from Brady Reynolds made it 3-0 Stanford in the third, USC responded with three runs in the fourth to draw back even. Run-scoring two-out hits from Abbrie Covarrubias and Austin Overn capped the three-run frame for the Trojans.
Stanford once again reclaimed a lead in the sixth as Owen Cobb shot a two-out double down the left field line that plated Becerra all the way from first. The initial signal on the play was Becerra was out at the plate, but after conferring, the umpires ruled the ball was not handled cleanly by USC catcher Jacob Galloway. Cort MacDonald came up clutch one play later, lining an RBI-single into right field to run Stanford's advantage to 5-3.
The Cardinal would continue the two-out rally in the sixth, eventually loading the bases, but Jimmy Nati popped up to third to strand them loaded – three of 10 left on base for the Cardinal in the game.
After USC took advantage of three Stanford errors to tie the game at five in the seventh, triples from Carson Wells and Braden Dowd highlighted a four-run eighth for the Trojans that handed USC its first lead of the day.
Leading 9-5 headed to the ninth, USC tacked on two more runs on a two-run home run from Galloway to run the advantage to 11-5.
Stanford will play a nonconference series against Creighton next week, with the three-game set running Saturday through Monday due to finals week on The Farm.
GAME NOTES:
- Stanford has dropped three of the last four games, but has won eight of its last 12 overall.
- The Cardinal allowed the first run in seven of its first eight games of the season, but has now scored first in eight of the last 10.
- Stanford's six extra-base hits (four doubles, two home runs) were the second most in a game this season (seven vs. San Jose State on February 26).
- MacDonald (1-for-4, R, RBI) has now reached in all but two of his games played this year, hitting safely in all those contests.
- Reynolds (0-for-2, RBI) had a seven-game hitting streak snapped.
- Saum's pinch hit home run in the ninth was the first for Stanford since Joe Lomuscio vs. Binghamton on June 3, 2022 … was the second homer of the year for Saum.
- The two homers in the ninth marked the first time this season that Stanford had two in the same inning, and the first time for the Cardinal since Malcolm Moore & Tommy Troy in the seventh inning vs. #25 Texas A&M on June 4, 2023.
- Becerra (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI) posted his fourth multi-hit game of the year.
- Haskins (2-for-5, 2B, RBI) managed his fourth multi-hit game of the season.
- The four errors were the most allowed for the Cardinal since committing five against Oregon on March 12, 2022.
- USC stole four bases on Sunday and finished the three-game series 10-for-12 in stolen base attempts.