LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With Stanford trailing 4-3 and down to its final out in the top of the ninth inning, sophomore JJ Moran connected for a go-ahead three-run home run as Stanford (16-16, 6-9 ACC) defeated Louisville (20-16, 6-9 ACC) 6-4 on Sunday to earn a series win on the road over the Cardinals.
Moran’s home run, his sixth of the season, came after the Cardinal put runners at the corners with nobody out in the ninth, but nearly had all its opportunity erased when interference was determined on a double-play ball. As a result of the call, the runner at third was returned the bag and the game-tying run was taken off the board. Charlie Bates drew a walk to keep the inning alive for Moran who belted a 0-1 pitch 453 feet out to left field.
Louisville closer Aaron England allowed the home run, ultimately surrendering three runs on two hits and two walks in the ninth to fall to 1-2 on the year.
Senior Trevor Moore was outstanding in relief for the Cardinal, pitching the final four scoreless innings with three strikeouts to give Stanford a chance at the comeback win. The right-hander retired all 12 batters faced to secure the victory and improve to 5-1 on the season.
Moran’s home run was just the second two-out hit of the day for either team, as both squads struggled to cash in on opportunities en route to leaving a combined 16 runners on base. The two teams went 2-for-19 with two outs, with the only other two-out hit being a Tatum Marsh single in the top of the eighth.
Stanford scored the first two runs of the game in the second inning as Eric Jeon had an RBI-single before Teddy Tokheim drew a bases-loaded walk.
After Louisville rallied for four unanswered runs in the middle innings to take a 4-2 lead, Stanford managed to load the bases with nobody out in the sixth, but was limited to just one run as the Cardinals clung to the 4-3 advantage all the way into the ninth.
Stanford will return to The Farm next week, hosting Santa Clara for a 6:05 first pitch on Wednesday.
GAME NOTES:
- Eric Jeon (1-for-3, R, 2 RBIs) has hit safely in seven straight games and has reached in 13 straight
- Cort MacDonald (2-for-4,R) has a hit in six of his last seven games, and nine of his last 11
- Rintaro Sasaki (1-for-5) has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games, and 19 of his last 24 overall … has reached base in all but two games this season
- Teddy Tokheim (2-for-4, RBI) has hit safely in 15 straight games ... has hit safely in 23 of his 26 games played and has reached in 25 straight contests … has multiple hits in six of his last seven games, and 10 of his last 12 … owns 14 multi-hit games