LUBBOCK, Texas – Junior Trevor Haskins hit for the cycle and nearly sparked an epic comeback on Tuesday in a game against Texas Tech (21-9) that saw Stanford (11-15) trailing 12-0 after four innings.
The comeback bid fell just short, as Stanford brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth only to drop the contest 15-12. With the loss, Stanford dropped both games at Texas Tech.
Haskins, who finished 4-for-5 with four runs scored and three RBIs, managed a two-RBI triple in the fifth, singled in the seventh, led off the eighth with a double, and hit a towering home run for his second round-tripper of the year in the ninth to complete the cycle.
The cycle is the first for Stanford since Brian Ragira vs. Santa Clara on March 22, 2011.
Junior catcher Charlie Saum made the most of his afternoon on the field as well, entering as a defensive replacement in the fifth inning and eventually launching a pair of home runs – a solo shot leading off the sixth inning and a three-run homer in the eighth. The multi-homer game was the first of Saum's career and ran his season home run total to four.
After Texas Tech scored two runs in the first, nine in the third and one in the fourth to jump out to the 12-0 advantage, Stanford began to chip away at the deficit in the fifth as Haskins drove a pitch off the top of the batter's eye for a triple that scored Luke Lavin and Jake Sapien.
Texas Tech got the three back in the bottom of the fifth, but Stanford refused to surrender, scoring a single run in the sixth on Saum's first homer of the game.
Trailing 15-4, and needing two runs to avoid the run rule in the seventh, Owen Cobb connected for a three-run home run to ensure the Cardinal would continue to play into the home half of the frame. For Cobb, the homer was his fourth of the year. The Cardinal had a chance for an even bigger frame in the seventh, stranding the bases loaded – three of Stanford's 10 left on base in the loss.
Stanford continued to claw its way back into the game in the eighth, scoring a run on a sac fly from Cort MacDonald before Saum launched a ball down the left field line that stayed fair and went for a three-run homer to cut the deficit to 15-11.
With Stanford chasing four runs headed to the ninth, Haskins completed the cycle with his one-out home run to center field. A pair of walks allowed two of the next three hitters to reach, bringing Saum to the plate as the tying run with two outs. Texas Tech reliever Isaiah Rhodes finally closed the door on the Cardinal, striking out Saum to seal the victory.
Sophomore right-hander Nick Dugan did all he could to keep Stanford in the game down the stretch, tossing three shutout frames and allowing just two hits with three strikeouts.
Stanford will return home this week, hosting Washington State in Pac-12 play from Sunken Diamond. The opener of the series is set for Friday at 6:05 p.m.
GAME NOTES:
- Stanford has dropped nine of the last 12 after winning seven of its previous eight.
- Stanford's 15 runs are a season high, besting the 13 at Utah on March 30 ... most runs since scoring 18 vs. California on May 24, 2023.
- The two teams combined for seven home runs, including four from Stanford, on a windy day from Rip Griffin Park.
- Stanford's four home runs are the most for the Cardinal this season.
- The Cardinal has scored 34 runs on 51 hits in its last three games.
- Stanford dropped to 11-7 when scoring at least three runs in a game this season.
- Temo Becerra (0-for-5) had a five-game hitting streak snapped.
- Cort MacDonald (1-for-4, RBI) has reached in all but three games this year, hitting safely in each of those contests.
- Cobb (4-for-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBIs) and Haskins (4-for-5, 4 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBIs) accounted for eight of Stanford's 14 hits ... second time in three games that the duo has each collected four hits in the same game after achieving the feat on March 30 at Utah.
- Saum's (2-for-3, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBIs) is the first multi-homer game for Stanford since Owen Cobb's two-homer game vs. San Jose State on February 26, 2024 ... first multi-RBI game of Saum's career and his two hits matched a career high.
- Freshman Joey Volchko (0-1) was saddled with the loss after being charged with nine runs on seven hits and five walks over 2 1/3 innings.
- Stanford pitching walked nine batters and issued on hit by pitch.
- Texas Tech scored nine runs on five hits, five walks and a hit by pitch in the third inning.