STANFORD, Calif. – Opening a three-game series with Creighton (16-3) on Saturday afternoon, Stanford (9-10) dropped a 3-2 pitchers' duel in a game that saw all five runs scored within the first three innings.
Sophomore Matt Scott pitched well in a tough-luck loss, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. The right-hander, who dropped to 2-4 on the season, faced one over the minimum from the fourth inning on, including striking out the side in order in the sixth to cap a string of four consecutive punchouts.
Dominic Cancellieri was equally impressive for Creighton, surrendering two runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeout over seven innings of his own opposite Scott. Cancellieri, who improved to 5-0 this year, faced just one over the minimum from the third through seventh, benefitting from a 4-3 double play to end the fourth.
Shane Curtin pitched the final two innings for the Bluejays to convert his second save of the season. The left-hander allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out three.
Creighton jumped out to the early 2-0 lead after scoring two runs on two hits in the top of the first. After a leadoff walk and a popup to start the game, Nolan Sailors lined a ball into center field where Ethan Hott slipped and could not recover, ultimately allowing the run to score and Sailors to scamper into third with a triple. Colby Canales followed with a line drive to right-center field for an RBI-single to make it 2-0.
The Cardinal responded right away in the bottom of the first, plating a run on a sacrifice fly from Jimmy Nati. The fly ball to right field chased home Cort MacDonald who had led off the inning with a single.
MacDonald pushed the Cardinal back even at 2-2 with a two-out single in the second inning, bringing home Owen Cobb.
Sailors once again contributed the big hit for Creighton in the third, lining a 2-2 pitch with two outs down the line in left to bring home Teddy Deters and the eventual game-winning run. Deters had sparked a two-out rally one play earlier when he laced a double into the gap in left-center field.
Trailing 3-2 headed to the bottom of the ninth, Stanford managed to rally and put two aboard with one out. Unfortunately for the Cardinal, Curtin induced a ground ball to third off the bat of Trevor Haskins that was tossed around the horn for the game-ending double play.
Sophomore Trevor Moore looked sharp in relief of Scott, dealing the final two scoreless innings and allowing just one hit with one strikeout.
Offensively, junior Temo Becerra led the way for Stanford, batting 3-for-3 out of the seventh spot in the order.
Stanford will look to even the nonconference series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
GAME NOTES:
- The Cardinal dropped to 2-1 in one-run games this season.
- Stanford outhit Creighton 7-6 and stranded six baserunners in the loss.
- The three-hit game is the first of Becerra's career and his 11th career multi-hit game (fifth of the season) … Becerra has now hit safely in six consecutive games and has posted multiple hits in back-to-back contests.
- MacDonald (2-for-4, R, RBI) has hit safely in four straight games … has now reached in all but two of his games played this year, hitting safely in all those contests.
- Scott has now managed a quality start in each of his last four turns, but is 2-2 over those outings.
- Stanford turned three doubles plays and hit into two offensively … Saturday marked the first time Stanford has turned three double plays since managing three against CSU Bakersfield on March 2, 2023.