LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Cardinal pitching staff did not allow a hit over the final seven innings, and the offense exploded for 12 runs on 12 hits, as Stanford (15-15, 5-8 ACC) earned a 12-2 victory in the opener of a three-game series at Louisville (19-15, 5-8 ACC) on Friday night.
Louisville plated a pair of runs in the first inning to jump out to the early lead, but the Cardinal called to the bullpen in the second and ran five relievers out to the mound to cover the final eight scoreless innings. Freshman Colt Peterson, who eventually earned the win and moved to 2-1, was first out of the pen, allowing one hit over one inning, before fellow freshman Brock Ketelsen worked the third. Senior Kassius Thomas pitched two innings and struck out two, junior Cohen Gomez retired all nine he faced in the sixth through eighth innings, and senior Toran O’Harran retired the side in the ninth to seal the victory.
Trailing 2-0 in the third, Stanford rallied for five two-out runs to take the lead and gain control of the game. Cort MacDonald led off with a single, and Rintaro Sasaki walked on the ensuing play, but a pair of fly balls resulted in the first two outs without advancing the runners. A hit-by-pitch – one of four issued by Louisville on Friday – loaded the bases before JJ Moran tied the game with a two-RBI single into left field. Brady Reynolds capped the five-run frame one batter later when he launched his second home run of the year - a three-run shot out to right field.
The Cardinal tacked on three more runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 8-2, highlighted by a two-out, two-run single from MacDonald through the left side of the infield.
Sasaki provided four runs of insurance with one big swing of the bat in the top of the ninth, crushing a grand slam to right field to hand Stanford the 10-run lead at 12-2.
The home run was Sasaki’s 10th of the season and accounted for his first career grand slam. It was also the second grand slam of the year for Stanford after Moran connected for one in the first game of a doubleheader vs. Utah Valley on March 22.
The Cardinal will look to secure the series win on Saturday when the two teams continue the set with an 11 a.m. PT first pitch.
GAME NOTES:
- Friday’s game was the first between the two teams in program history
- Stanford has homered in 22 consecutive games (54 home runs over the span), and has multiple home runs in 17 of those 22 contests ... has scored at least nine runs in 12 of the 30 games this year … managed five extra-base hits (three doubles, two home runs) on Friday and has at least five extra-base hits in 16 of its 30 games this year
- Ethan Hott (1-for-2, 2 R, BB, 2 HBP) has reached in 18 of his 20 games with an at bat this season
- Eric Jeon (1-for-5, 2B, BB) has hit safely in five straight games and has reached in 11 straight ... is hitting .341 (15-for-44) with 10 runs scored, two doubles, five home runs and seven RBIs in ACC play
- Cort MacDonald (2-for-4, R, BB, 2 RBIs) has a hit in four of his last five games, and seven of his last nine ... is hitting .364 (12-for-33) with five runs scored, three doubles, a home run and five RBIs in ACC play
- JJ Moran (1-for-5, R, 2 RBIs) has hit safely in 23 of the 30 games this season
- Rintaro Sasaki (1-for-5, 2 R, HR, BB, 4 RBIs) has hit safely in six of his last eight games, and 17 of his last 22 overall ... has reached base in all but two games this season ... has seen 18 of his 29 hits on the year go for extra-bases (eight doubles and 10 home runs) ... has drawn a team-best 28 walks in 30 games played ... has scored in all but seven contests this season ... has connected for five home runs and has driven in 12 runs while scoring 14 runs in ACC play
- Teddy Tokheim (3-for-6, 2 2B) has hit safely in 13 straight games ... has multiple hits in five straight, and nine of his last 10 overall ... owns 13 multi-hit games … has hit safely in 21 of his 24 games played, has an extra-base hit in 15 of the 24, and has reached in 23 straight contests ... has seen 22 of his 40 hits go for extra bases (12 doubles, 10 home runs) ... is hitting .411 (23-for-56) with 13 runs scored, nine doubles, six home runs and 16 RBIs in ACC play
- Kassius Thomas (2 IP, BB, 2 K) has not allowed a run while surrendering three hits with seven strikeouts over his last six appearances spanning 6 2/3 innings