PHOENIX, Ariz. – No. 12 Stanford improved to 2-0 on the season with a 5-4 win over Wichita State behind stellar relief performances from Cody Jensen and Jack Little on Saturday night at Diablo Stadium.
Jensen, making his first career appearance, relieved starter Jacob Palisch to strike out three in 2.0 innings of work to earn the win, setting up Jack Little for his second save in as many nights with four punchouts of his own. Maverick Handley reached base four times and scored three runs, Will Matthiessen and Andrew Daschbach each had two hits and Kyle Stowers drove in a pair of runs.
"These are the kind of games we have learned to win over the last two seasons," said the Clarke and Elizabeth Nelson Director of Baseball David Esquer. "Palisch didn't have his best stuff but battled hard for us, and you love to see Jensen throw so well in his debut. Similar to last night, situational hitting, pitching and defense ultimately won us the game."
The Cardinal (2-0-0) struck first in the top half of the first inning –Handley led off the game with a walk, advancing to second on a fielders' choice off the bat of Kyle Stowers. Tim Tawa's liner to right was dropped, allowing Handley to score.
The Shockers (1-2-0) wasted no time leveling the score. Alex Jackson led off the home half with a double, eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly. In the second, Wichita State made it 3-1. Jordan Boyer tripled home Jack Sigrist and scored on a single by Alex Jackson with two outs.
Stanford retook the lead in the third courtesy of more situational hitting. Christian Molfetta and Maverick Handley drew walks, advanced on a balk and each scored. Kyle Stowers drove in Molfetta with a deep sacrifice fly to right and Tim Tawa's grounder to the right side brought home Handley. Will Matthiessen made it 4-3, driving in Daschbach with a two-out knock to left field.
The Shockers tied it up again with a solo home run off the bat of Luke Ritter in the fifth, which would be Palisch's final frame of the night. Jensen replaced him in his collegiate debut, striking out the side in the sixth before Stowers brought home Handley, who got on base with a triple to deep right, with another deep sacrifice fly in the seventh to restore the lead, 5-4. Jensen returned in the home half, working a clean 1-2-3 inning.
Jensen surrendered his only hit of the night to start the eighth and made way for Little, who struck out his first batter before inducing a 5-4-3 double play, featuring freshmen Austin Kretschmar and Brandon Dieter at third and second base, respectively. Little returned to dominate in the ninth, striking out the side for his sixth career save of 2.0 or more innings.
No. 12 Stanford returns to Tempe Diablo Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m. PT to face off with Pepperdine. Left hander Erik Miller (4-4, 4.07 ERA in 2018) is expected to start for the Cardinal against the Waves' Cooper Chandler. Live statistics will be available at GoStanford.com.
Cardinal Notes
- Wichita State starter Ryan Stuempfig exited after 2.1 innings, being charged with four runs, three of which were earned.
- Kretschmar (third base) and Christian Robinson (centerfield) entered as defensive replacements in the bottom of the seventh with Handley moving behind the dish and Wilson moving to right field.
- Palisch's start was the first of his Stanford career.