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NewsvineStanford fell 4-2 to St. Mary’s yesterday at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond in a game scheduled last Sunday to make up for a rained out game last weekend against Nebraska.
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Stanford junior catcher Jason Castro started the scoring with a homer — his second in as many days — in the second inning off St. Mary’s starter Scott Schneider to give the Cardinal a 1-0 lead.
“It’s a relief to come off of a good summer season last year and then get off to such a good start,” said Castro, who is hitting .429 with two homers and five RBI in the team’s first four games. “I just want to keep rolling offensively and defensively to help the team.”
But that lone run was all Stanford would get off Schneider, who scattered five hits and a walk over six innings to get the win.
Starting pitcher sophomore Brandt Walker went just two innings for the Card, allowing one hit but walking five before yielding to freshman Drew Storen. Storen walked the first man he faced in the fourth, and St. Mary’s used small ball and a two-out RBI single from catcher Ryan Mulligan to tie the score at 1.
Storen sent the Gaels down quietly in the fifth but allowed one-out singles to outfielders Kenny Fuglerud and Cory Miller before Mulligan laid down a sacrifice bunt to put two in scoring position with two outs for second baseman Randy Wells.
Wells worked a 3-1 count before doubling down the right field line, driving in both runners and giving the Gaels a 3-1 lead.
Freshman Alex Pracher relieved Storen in seventh, allowing a double to left fielder Kyle Jensen and a single to first baseman Anthony Aliotti before getting shortstop Joel Staples to ground out. Staples’ groundout scored Jensen and made the score 4-1 in favor of the Gaels. Pracher then settled down, allowing two hits and one walk in the final two and two-thirds innings.
Stanford was able to load the bases with no out off Gael’s reliever Justin Kuks in the seventh, but only got one run across the plate. Alex Jensen took over for Kuks and finished the inning, allowing just one run on a sacrifice fly by Stanford freshman shortstop Jake Schlander, bringing the score to 4-2.
Stanford threatened again in the eighth, but that would be all for the scoring, as Jensen was able to work out of the jam after walking Castro and hitting junior left fielder Joey August to bring the go-ahead run to the plate with no out. Jensen then buckled down and retired senior first baseman Randy Molina, senior right fielder Brendan Domaracki and sophomore DH Toby Gerhart to end the inning.
Gaels’ Closer Anthony Selden came on and shut the door in the ninth, retiring the Cardinal in order to record the save for the Gaels.
The loss took Stanford’s record to 2-2 on the year. St. Mary’s is now 2-1, after having two games rained out last weekend. Stanford next plays at Sunken Diamond today against Nevada at 3 p.m. The game will be Stanford’s fifth in as many days, and coaches have expressed concern about how this year’s condensed schedule will affect players. Castro, however, likes the opportunity to play almost daily.
“I really like the condensed schedule this year because you get a chance to play almost every day,” said Castro. “It makes it easier not to get down after a game like tonight.”
Junior right hander Max Fearnow (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is schedule to start tomorrow for the Cardinal. The Wolf Pack will send Mario Rivera (0-0) to the hill.
Contact Erik Adams at ekadams
@stanford.edu.