Baseball sweeps Rice in first dwelling collection of 2023 season

After a nail-biting collection towards Cal State Fullerton final weekend, No. 2 Stanford baseball (5-2, 0-0 Pac-12) was in a position to win in a extra relaxed method this week, sweeping the Rice Owls (2-5, 0-0 Convention USA) in its first dwelling collection of the 2023 season. 

After struggling in his first begin towards Cal State Fullerton, senior starter Quinn Mathews pitched higher towards Rice, giving up simply two runs in six and a 3rd innings. Nevertheless, the Cardinal bats additionally remained quiet, tallying only one run by means of 5 innings. With the Owls main 2-1 on the backside of the sixth with one out, junior second baseman Drew Bowser reached second base due to an error by the Owls’ second baseman. In the course of the subsequent at-bat, one other throwing error at second base allowed Bowser to attain and knot the sport up at 2-2. 

After sophomore catcher Charlie Saum walked and senior shortstop Owen Cobb grounded out together with advancing runners to second and third, the Owls made a pitching change, bringing in reliever Matthew Linskey. Sadly, the transfer did not repay for Rice, as junior left fielder Eddie Park drove the ball to left subject and knocked in two runs, giving Stanford its first lead within the recreation. After a solo dwelling run by infielder Pierce Gallo on the high of the seventh, the Cardinal added two extra insurance coverage runs within the backside of the inning to buffer their lead. That was all freshman pitcher Matt Scott wanted, as he failed to surrender a success over the last two innings and secured Stanford’s first win of the collection.

On Saturday, the 2 groups would play a double-header as a result of potential for inclement climate on Sunday. In the course of the first recreation, Stanford jumped on Rice from the start, with the group piecing collectively a pair runs within the backside of the second inning to make it a 2-0 recreation. Whereas Rice responded with a run of its personal within the fifth inning, the Cardinal bats went on a tear down the stretch, plating 9 runs from the fifth to eighth innings. A group effort catalyzed by third baseman Tommy Troy’s dwelling run and Park’s two-run double to middle subject allowed the Cardinal to blow the door extensive open. Ultimately, the Owls have been unable to maintain up with Stanford’s offense, as they misplaced the sport by a rating of 11-1.

The third recreation featured a greater effort by Rice, because it was a thriller till the ultimate few innings. The Owls dealt the primary blow within the recreation, with first baseman Drew Holderbach knocking in a run to convey dwelling Gallo within the first inning. However the Cardinal answered promptly, as junior first baseman Carter Graham hit a grounder to the shortstop to plate Troy. After Graham’s at-bat, Pac-12 Preseason Participant of the Yr Braden Montgomery smashed a ball to proper subject to convey Stanford its first lead at 2-1. After Rice tied the sport on the high of the second, Park hooked a two-run dwelling run to proper subject to retake the lead for the Cardinal. 

After the Owls assembled two extra runs to as soon as once more tie the sport, the bats went quiet for each groups. Nevertheless, the offensive drought ended within the eighth inning, when Owen Cobb tripled to middle subject and introduced dwelling freshman pinch hitter James Nati and pinch runner Henry Gargus. Alex Rios added insurance coverage together with his RBI single to make it a 7-4 recreation. A group effort from the bullpen allowed Stanford to stroll away with the win and clinch its first sweep of the younger baseball season.

Up subsequent, Stanford will play Pacific in a midweek match-up earlier than internet hosting Cal State Bakersfield for an additional non-conference collection over the weekend. First pitch towards Pacific is scheduled for two:05 p.m. PT in Stockton, Calif. on Wednesday.