STANFORD, Calif. – Two big innings led the way for Arizona State as the Sun Devils (28-24, 16-13 Pac-12) defeated Stanford (20-27, 11-15 Pac-12) 10-1 on Saturday to clinch a series win over the Cardinal from Sunken Diamond.
Arizona State scored four runs in the first inning, and plated five in the eighth, to run away with the series following a 13-1 victory on Friday night.
The home run provided the bulk of the damage on Saturday afternoon, as Nick McClain connected for the first of his two home runs in the first inning – a three-run shot to left field. He would tack on a solo homer in the third, running his season total to 12, before Kien Vu highlighted the five-run eighth with a three-run round-tripper to blow the game wide open. The home run was Vu's 12th of the season and second of the series.
Stanford plated its lone run of the game in the bottom of the first, benefitting from what was ultimately ruled a wild pitch as a ball in the dirt got lodged in the chest protector of Ryan Campos with the bases loaded. The Cardinal had loaded the bases with one out on three consecutive singles from Ethan Hott, Cort MacDonald and Malcolm Moore.
Left-hander Connor Markl was impressive in the start for Arizona State, escaping that first-inning jam and allowing just the one run on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts over six innings of work. Markl moved to 6-3 on the season, while Jonah Giblin was credited with his first save of the year after throwing the final three scoreless innings.
Freshman Christian Lim was saddled with the loss and dropped to 4-6 on the season after allowing five runs on eight hits and five walks while striking out five over five innings. Sophomore Trevor Moore contributed two scoreless innings, while senior Jaden Bruno allowed just one hit with a strikeout over the final two scoreless innings on the hill for the Cardinal.
Bruno and fellow senior Tommy O'Rourke will be honored prior to Sunday's series finale as part of Senior Day and the final regular-season home game of the year for Stanford. First pitch is slated for 1:05 p.m., and the contest will be the final Pac-12 home game in the history of the program as Stanford prepares to transition to the ACC for the 2025 season.
GAME NOTES:
- Stanford has lost a season-high five straight games, six of its last seven, and 21 of the last 33 overall.
- Temo Becerra (1-for-3) has hit safely in 18 of his last 26 games and 24 of his last 32 overall.
- Owen Cobb (0-for-4) had a 13-game hit streak snapped, but has hit safely in 20 of his last 25 overall.
- Ethan Hott (1-for-3, R) has hit safely in eight of his last nine and 13 of his last 15 overall.
- Cort MacDonald (2-for-4) has hit safely in 13 of his last 15, 21 of his last 24 and 27 of his last 31 … has reached in all but five of his games played this year, hitting safely in all but six … has amassed a team-best 19 multi-hit games, including multiple hits in eight of his last 13.
- Malcolm Moore (1-for-4) has hit safely in six straight games.