A senior and a freshman helped the Stanford baseball team to a series-clinching win in the final weekend of the year at Sunken Diamond.
In front of a near-sold out crowd on Fireworks Night at one of the more picturesque venues in college baseball, senior Jonny Locher and freshman Tristan Beck starred for the Cardinal in its 4-2 victory over Oregon on Friday.
Stanford (30-23, 14-15 Pac-12) has won at least 30 games in 36 of 40 seasons under legendary head coach Mark Marquess.
Locher tied a career-high with three hits and has five in the first two games of the series. Meanwhile, Beck (6-5) allowed just one hit in 6 2/3 innings and did not allow a run.
In the bottom of the third, Locher roped a double down the left field line. Sophomore Matt Winaker’s bloop single to center moved him to third, and then the senior snuck home on groundout back to the mound by freshman Nico Hoerner.
Beck held that one-run lead without much difficulty. He retired eight in a row between the third and fifth, and did not allow a hit after the first inning.
Sophomore Mikey Diekroeger helped extend the lead in the sixth with a clutch two-out, bases-clearing, three-RBI double. Hoerner and Tommy Edman singled, and senior Austin Barr was intentionally walked to load the bases for Diekroeger, who launched one into left center for a 4-0 lead.
Oregon (29-25, 14-15) cut the lead in half in the eighth. A single, hit batter and error led to the Ducks first run, and another came across on a wild pitch to make it 4-2.
However, sophomore Colton Hock entered and locked up a five-out save for the second straight night. It was another 1-2-3 ninth inning for his sixth save of the season.
On Saturday, the Cardinal celebrates Senior Day. It marks the final game at Sunken Diamond for seniors Bobby Zarubin, Jonny Locher, Austin Barr and Daniel Starwalt.
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics