STANFORD, Calif. – A four-run seventh inning, highlighted by a three-run home run from sophomore JJ Moran, helped seal a 9-5 Stanford victory that clinched a series win over NC State on Sunday from Sunken Diamond.
With the win, the Cardinal improved to 25-23 overall and 12-15 in the ACC. NC State dropped to 31-19, including 13-14 in the conference, after losing the first and third games of the series.
Sunday's victory was Stanford's Clarke and Elizabeth Nelson Director of Baseball David Esquer's 300th win on The Farm. Esquer has posted a 300-173 overall record at the helm of the program.
Getting the start on Senior Day, senior Nick Dugan worked the first three innings for the Cardinal, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts in a no decision.
Stanford got on the board first with two runs in the third as the Cardinal loaded the bases and got a bloop single from freshman Teddy Tokheim to make it 1-0. Senior Cort MacDonald extended the lead to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly one play later.
NC State scored the next three runs to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead as Sherman Johnson drove in a pair with a home run in the fourth and a run-scoring ground out in the fifth that handed the visitors the lead. That fifth inning could have been much bigger for the Wolfpack as NC State had runners at second and third with two out and got a line drive off the bat of Dalton Bargo that was destined for the grass in left-center field before it struck Andrew Wiggins on his way to third base for the final out.
The Cardinal immediately responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth to draw back even as MacDonald lined a two-out single off the glove of NC State reliever Anderson Nance that trickled out toward second base and brought home Nolan Stoll.
Still knotted at 3-3 following the seventh-inning stretch, Stanford took the lead on a run-scoring ground ball off the bat of Eric Jeon with the bases loaded and one out. As he’s done all season, Moran delivered in the clutch, lacing his three-run homer out to left field to cap the four-run seventh.
After NC State managed to score a run in the top of the eighth, Tokheim completed a 3-for-4 afternoon by launching his team-high tying 16th home run of the year out to left-center field. The round-tripper, his third in the last two games, came with a runner at third and one out, and provided the extra insurance Stanford needed to put away the series.
Senior Trevor Moore, the sixth Cardinal pitcher used on Sunday, worked the final three innings of the game and secured the victory to move to 7-2 on the season. Moore allowed two runs, including a tally in the top of the ninth, on five hits and one walk while striking out two.
In addition to honoring its senior class pregame on Sunday, the Cardinal also celebrated Mother’s Day by having the moms of current Stanford players throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
Having wrapped up the home portion of the conference schedule, Stanford will host its final home game of the year on Tuesday when it welcomes Saint Mary’s to Sunken Diamond for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.