STANFORD, Calif. – Playing a doubleheader against Xavier on Saturday from Sunken Diamond, Stanford (10-1) split a pair of games against the Musketeers (6-5), dropping the opener 5-4 before rebounding for an 8-3 victory in game two.
The loss in game one snapped Stanford’s season-opening win streak at nine games – the longest win streak to open a season since beginning the 2018 campaign at 10-0.
Sophomore Christian Lim was saddled with the loss in the opener, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts to fall to 1-1 on the season. The Cardinal trailed 5-1 headed to the bottom of the seventh, but scored one in the seventh on a solo homer from Brady Reynolds, and two in the eighth on a two-run shot from Jimmy Nati, to make it a one-run game headed to the ninth.
Battling to the final out, Stanford put the tying run at third with two outs, but was unable to complete the comeback as right-hander Jake Lambdin moved from third base to the pitcher’s mound to record the final out and convert his second save of the year.
Xavier starter Ryan Piech was credited with the victory after going six innings while allowing two runs on five hits and one walk with six strikeouts. The win moved Piech to 1-0 on the year.
After suffering its first loss of the season, Stanford got a strong outing from sophomore Joey Volchko in the nightcap. The right-hander went five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks while striking out six to pick up the victory and move to 1-0 on the season.
The Cardinal bullpen once again proved stellar as Nick Dugan, Toran O’Harran and Aidan Keenan combined for the final four innings while allowing just one run on three hits. With a run already in in the frame, Keenan entered a 6-3 game with two runners aboard and two outs in the eighth and got a strikeout to end the threat.
The right-hander would work a 1-2-3 ninth inning, striking out the side, to convert his fourth save of the year and retire all four batters faced via the strikeout.
Including the six from Volchko and four from Keenan, Stanford hurlers struck out 13 batters in the second game of the doubleheader after punching out 10 in the opener.
Freshman Rintaro Sasaki had the biggest hit of the second game, clearing the bases with a three-RBI double in a five-run Cardinal third inning. Nati and Reynolds would add run-scoring hits in the frame as well as Stanford took control of the game early.
After Xavier scored two runs in the fourth inning, the Cardinal responded with one in the seventh on an Ethan Hott RBI-single before Charlie Saum added some insurance with a two-out, two-run home run in the eighth. The home run came one play after an error – the third of the game for Xavier.
Saum finished the game 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
Having clinched at least a split of the four-game series with Xavier, Stanford will look to win three-of-four on Sunday when the two teams conclude the set with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch.
GAME NOTES:
- The Cardinal has scored 93 runs in 11 games this season - an average of 8.45 runs per game
- Trevor Haskins had a five-game streak with a home run snapped in the opener on Saturday … was the longest homer streak for a Stanford player since Brock Jones managed the feat in six straight from May 15-25, 2022 … went 2-for-4 with a run scored in game one and 1-for-3 with a run scored in game two … has hit safely in all 11 games this season and owns multiple hits in seven of the last nine games
- Aidan Keenan (1.1 IP, 4 K) has allowed just two baserunners and has struck out eight over six appearances and 6 2/3 innings
- Jimmy Nati has hit safely in all 11 games this season and carries a 15-game hitting streak dating back to 2024 after going 1-for-4 with a homer, a run scored and two RBIs in game one, and 1-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and one RBI in game two
- Brady Reynolds has hit safely in eight of 11 games this year, including multiple hits in six of the 11 … went 2-for-4 in both games on Saturday
- Rintaro Sasaki has hit safely in nine of his first 11 collegiate games, and has reached safely in all 11 after going 1-for-5 in game one and 1-for-4 with a double, a run scored and three RBIs in game two