BERKELEY, Calif. – Freshman Brock Ketelsen threw out the potential game-tying run at the plate for the final out in the bottom of the ninth as Stanford held on to defeat California 7-6 on Thursday night in the first game of a three-game series from Stu Gordon Stadium.
With the win, Stanford improved to 27-23 overall and 13-15 in the ACC. Cal dropped to 27-25 overall, including 10-18 in the conference.
Ketelsen, who took over as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the eighth, fielded a single off the bat of Carl Schmidt with runners at first and second and delivered a strike to the plate to cut down Hideki Prather for the game’s final out.
The outfield assist was the second of the day for Stanford as Jimmy Nati, who started the game in left field, threw out Schmidt trying to score and tie the game in the seventh.
Senior Trevor Moore, who inherited the bases loaded with two outs and the Cardinal leading 7-2 in the seventh, was ultimately credited with his fifth save of the year after working the final 2 1/3 innings.
Fellow senior Toran O’Harran turned in a solid effort in a start for Stanford, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with five strikeouts over the first 3 1/3 innings.
The Cardinal got off to a strong start offensively, taking advantage of a pair of walks and two hit-by-pitches to plate four runs in the top of the first.
After California scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first, the two teams traded a run in the fourth to run the tally to 5-2 after four. Singles from Charlie Bates and Cort MacDonald keyed the Stanford run in the fourth as Rintaro Sasaki managed to plate Bates with an RBI-groundout.
Bates finished the game 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored while hitting out of the leadoff spot in the order.
The Cardinal extended the lead to 7-2 with runs in the sixth and seventh innings, as Sasaki punched a two-out single through the right side in the sixth to bring home MacDonald before Bates lofted a sacrifice fly to left field in the seventh.
Just as the Cardinal did in the first inning, the Golden Bears took advantage of the free pass in the home half of the seventh to score four runs and make it a one-run game at 7-6. Freshman lefty Mike Erspamer walked three while striking out two before giving way to Moore. The right-hander allowed back-to-back doubles – including a bases-clearing three-RBI double to Cade Campbell – but Nati got the Cardinal out of the inning with the lead intact with his stellar throw from left field.
Sophomore right-hander Cohen Gomez was credited with the victory and moved to 4-1 after tossing 2 2/3 scoreless innings as the first reliever out of the Cardinal bullpen. Cal starter Jett Wright did not record an out in the first inning and fell to 2-2 after being charged with four runs on one hit.
The Cardinal will look to secure the series victory on Friday as the three-game set continues with a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.