HOUSTON – Sophomore Matt Scott struck out a career-best 12 batters while allowing just one hit in six-plus dominant innings of work, guiding Stanford (4-5) to a 6-2 victory over Rice (3-6) on Friday in the opener of a three-game series from Reckling Park.
Scott's 12 strikeouts surpassed his previous high of nine set vs. Cal State Fullerton on Opening Day earlier this season.
The right-hander carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before allowing a leadoff home run to Jack Riedel for the lone hit on his line. Scott issued a pair of walks in the game, granting a one-out free pass in the first inning before having a string of 13 consecutive batters snapped on a two-out walk in the fifth.
With the victory, the native of Redding, Conn. improved to 1-2 on the season. He has now struck out 28 batters over three starts and 15 1/3 innings on the season.
Stanford wasted no time getting on the board, jumping out to a 1-0 advantage on a solo home run from Malcolm Moore in the first inning. The round-tripper, an opposite field blast, was Moore's second of the season.
The Cardinal extended the lead to 3-0 in the second on RBI-singles from Brady Reynolds and Owen Cobb.
After a Trevor Haskins sac fly ran the tally to 4-0 in the fifth, Cort MacDonald laced an RBI-single back up the middle in the sixth inning to hand Stanford a five-run advantage at 5-0. MacDonald, a native of Arlington, Texas, finished the game 2-for-5 while hitting out of the leadoff spot in the order.
Freshman Luke Lavin also collected multiple hits in the victory, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a pair of walks.
Kassius Thomas, Joey Volchko and Toran O'Harran all appeared in relief for the Cardinal, with O'Harran tossing the final 1 2/3 innings and striking out a pair. The right-hander entered a 6-1 game with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth inning, allowing a sac fly before escaping the jam without further damage. For his efforts recording the final five outs, O'Harran was credited with his first career save.
Stanford will look to secure the series victory on Saturday when the two teams continue the series at 2:30 p.m. PT.
GAME NOTES:
- Stanford has won three consecutive games for the first time this season.
- Four pitchers combined for a two-hitter - the first for Stanford since Alex Williams went the distance and allowed just two hits in a 9-0 victory at then-No. 8 Texas Tech on June 12, 2021.
- The Cardinal has now won nine straight games against Rice, and improves to 8-0 against the Owls under David Esquer.
- Including Scott's 12 strikeouts, Stanford pitchers combined for 15 punchouts on Friday night … Stanford is now +45 in strikeouts, punching out 98 while striking out 53 time offensively.
- The multi-hit game was the first of Lavin's career.
- Scoring in the top of the first, Stanford managed to score first in a game for just the second time this season (15-4 loss to Penn State on February 23).
- Jimmy Nati (1-for-5, 2B) has now hit safely in all nine games this season … has posted five multi-hit games in the first eight contests … has recorded an extra-base hit in six of nine games this season, including a team-best six doubles.
- MacDonald extended his hitting streak to eight games … recorded his second multi-hit game of the year, including his second in the last three contests.