BERKELEY, Calif. – Playing a nonconference game at Pac-12 rival California on Tuesday night, Stanford (6-6) was blanked 5-0 by the Golden Bears (8-3), snapping a five-game win streak for the Cardinal.
The Cardinal managed to outhit California 6-4 in the loss, but Cal's No. 9 hitter Jarren Advincula came up with the biggest hit of the night – driving a three-RBI triple down the right field line in the bottom of the second to put Cal on the board first.
Stanford had a similar opportunity in the top of the second, but Owen Cobb, who was batting ninth for the Cardinal, flew out to center field to strand the bases loaded.
Freshman Aidan Keenan made his first career start and was saddled with the loss after being charged with three runs on one hit with four strikeouts over two innings. The right-hander worked himself into trouble in the second, loading the bases on a hit by pitch and two walks, prior to Advincula's bases-clearing triple.
Brady Reynolds and Jake Sapien, hitting out of the seventh and eighth spots in the order, accounted for five of Stanford's six hits on the night, with Sapien going 3-for-3 with a walk. Reynolds finished 2-for-4 with a double, while Jimmy Nati collected the final Cardinal base hit.
Stanford's bullpen pitched well in relief of Keenan, combining to toss the final six innings while allowing two unearned runs – both coming on the line of freshman Joey Volchko in the bottom of the fourth. Volchko induced a chopper to first base with runners at second and third and two outs in that inning, but the ball skipped off Nati's chest and trickled into foul territory. In an effort to get the runner at first, Nati's throw was offline and allowed the trail runner to scamper home on the back side of the play.
Volchko worked three innings and allowed three hits and one walk while striking out four batters. Trevor Moore followed with two scoreless frames, striking out two, before handing the ball to freshman Ryan Speshyock in the eighth. The right-hander put the Golden Bears down in order in the inning, including striking out Caleb Lomavita to open the frame.
Cal starter Luke Short was outstanding en route to picking up the victory and moving to 1-0, tossing six scoreless innings and allowing just two hits and three walks with four strikeouts. The left-hander has been the Saturday starter for the Golden Bears so far this season, but made the Tuesday start against Stanford. Tucker Bougie, Connor Sullivan and Tyler Stasiowski combined to pitch the final three scoreless innings for Cal, with Stasiowski striking out the side in the ninth.
Stanford will begin Pac-12 play this weekend when it travels to Washington for a three-game series with the Huskies.
GAME NOTES:
- The Cardinal had a five-game win streak snapped on Tuesday.
- The Cal victory also snapped Stanford's five-game win streak over Cal.
- Stanford was shut out for the second time this season (4-0 vs. Cal State Fullerton on February 16).
- Cort MacDonald (0-for-5) had a 10-game hitting streak snapped.
- The three-hit game was the first multi-hit game of the year for Sapien.
- For Reynolds, the two-hit game was the second of his career.
- Stanford struck out 11 Cal hitters on Tuesday.
- Keenan (4) and Volchko (4) each set new career highs in strikeouts.