STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford walked off with a 4-3 victory in the bottom of the ninth inning in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, but dropped a 4-3 decision to Cal State Fullerton in the second game of the day, ultimately splitting a pair of games from Sunken Diamond.
With the doubleheader split, both teams finish Saturday with a 3-4 overall record.
Junior catcher Luke Lavin delivered the winner in the ninth in game one, lacing a one-out RBI-double down the left field line to chase home JJ Moran and hand the Cardinal the victory. Moran had reached with a double off the top of the wall in right field one play earlier.
The Cardinal led 3-0 headed into the eighth inning in the first game of the day, but Cal State Fullerton scored three times in the eighth to tie the game.
Lavin’s RBI-double was his second hit of the afternoon after previously putting the Cardinal on the board with a run-scoring single in the second.
Junior Aidan Keenan was outstanding in his start in the first game of the day, allowing just one hit and three walks with three strikeouts over six scoreless frames.
Senior Toran O’Harran was credited with the victory and moved to 1-0 on the season after pitching the final two scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Titan reliever Chris Hernandez was saddled with the loss after being charged with a run on one hit over 1 1/3 innings. Fullerton closer Andrew Wright, who was summoned to face Lavin in the ninth, allowed the game-winning hit.
The Cardinal got off to a great start in the second game of the doubleheader, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second to take an early 2-0 lead. Rintaro Sasaki drew a leadoff walk before Moran and Ethan Hott singled to load the bases. Brock Sell delivered a sacrifice fly to score Sasaki before Charlie Bates punched a two-out single into center field to bring home Moran.
Single runs in the third and fourth innings for the Titans ran the tally to 2-2, but Stanford reclaimed its lead in the fifth when Bates doubled, moved to third on a sac bunt, and scored on a ground ball to shortstop off the bat of Jimmy Nati. The Titans pulled the infield in on the play, but the speedy Bates beat the throw to the plate.
The Cardinal lead held through six innings, but the Titans manufactured two runs on a double squeeze bunt in the seventh to steal the victory. Hunter Meyer led off the inning with a single, but was momentarily erased on a strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play one play later. The call went to replay review and was ultimately overturned, leaving Meyer in scoring position.
A single from Andrew Kirchner moved runners to the corners before a walk loaded the bases. The Cardinal called to the bullpen and summoned freshman Colt Peterson. The right-hander dealt an 0-1 offering to Logan Hart who squared and bunted a high pitch up the first base line. Peterson communicated with Sasaki to take the ball, but there was a slight hesitation in delivering the throw to first. That split second proved enough for Kirchner to spin third and barrel home just ahead of the throw from Nati who was covering first on the play.
Dylan Goff, who worked 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, was credited with the victory and moved to 1-0 on the season. Brock Mayer converted his first save of the year, retiring all seven batters he faced in the final 2 1/3 innings.
The Cardinal will look to secure a series split of the four games on Sunday when the two teams conclude the set at 1:05 p.m.
- GAME NOTES:
- The walk-off win was the first for Stanford since a 16-15 victory over Grand Canyon in 10 innings on May 11, 2025
- Stanford has lost four games this season by a combined total of five runs – dropping three one-run decisions in addition to Friday’s 4-2 setback to Cal State Fullerton
- The Cardinal stole six bases in the season opener vs. No. 24 Arizona (February 13), but has swiped just one base over the last six games (1-for-5 over the span)
- Charlie Bates has multiple hits in four of the first seven games this year
- Ethan Hott has reached in all five of his games played this year, and seven straight games dating back to the end of the 2025 season
- Aidan Keenan managed his first career quality start and set a new career high in innings pitched with six frames, besting his previous high of 4 1/3 vs. Michigan on February 14, 2026
- Luke Lavin has reached in all six of his games played this season to stretch his reached base streak to 12 games dating back to the end of the 2025 season
- Tatum Marsh has reached safely in 17 straight games dating back to the end of the 2025 season
- JJ Moran has hit safely in each of the first seven games this season
- Rintaro Sasaki has reached in all seven games to start the season, including drawing a walk in each contest