STANFORD, Calif. – Junior Nick Dugan pitched four scoreless innings in his first start of the season as No. 20 Stanford (16-6) defeated San Jose State (15-9) 5-1 on Monday afternoon to end a three-game losing streak.
Making his first appearance since March 7 at No. 4 North Carolina, Dugan allowed just four hits while striking out four over his four frames. The start was Dugan’s 18th of his career.
The Cardinal executed a pre-planned pitching schedule to perfection on Monday, with Dugan handing the ball to Ryan Speshyock for the fifth and sixth innings. The right-hander struck out three before passing the baton to Toran O’Harran for the seventh. O’Harran struck out one in a scoreless inning before Ty Uber tossed the eighth and puched out two. Sophomore Ben Reimers was the final piece to the bullpen puzzle, contributing a scoreless ninth inning with one strikeout to secure the victory.
Stanford led the entire way on Monday, scoring a run in the first on an RBI-double from Jimmy Nati. The hit scored Trevor Haskins who had drawn a walk to start the bottom of the first.
The Cardinal managed to stretch the lead to 2-0 on a bases-loaded walk in the third inning, but left the bags full – three of eight runners left on for the Cardinal on Monday.
With the Cardinal pitching staff locked in and still leading 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Stanford managed to put additional space between the two teams on a two-run single from Charlie Saum and a sac fly from Brady Reynolds to make it 5-0.
San Jose State avoided the shutout with a single run in the eighth, benefitting from a one-out Zach Chamizo triple that resulted in a run one play later on an RBI-groundout from Jeriah Lewis.
The Cardinal will look to carry momentum back into ACC play this week when it travels to Virginia for a three-game series beginning Thursday at 4 p.m. PT.
GAME NOTES:
• Stanford is now 11-7 in Dugan’s 18 career starts
• The Cardinal’s win snapped its three-game losing streak and ended San Jose State’s five-game winning streak
• Temo Becerra (0-for-3) had a six-game hitting streak snapped … has hit safely in 18 of 22 games on the season
• Trevor Haskins (2-for-3, 3 R, 2 BB) has hit safely in all but three of his games played this season
• Ethan Hott (1-for-4) has a hit in five of his last six games played
• Tatum Marsh (1-for-3, R, 2B) has reached in 18 straight games
• Jimmy Nati (1-for-3, R, 2B, RBI) has hit safely in eight straight games and has a hit in all but two games this season … has driven in a run in all but five games this year, including six straight