STANFORD, Calif. – Opening the 2022 season at home against Cal State Fullerton, No. 6 Stanford (1-0) posted a 1-0 shutout victory over the Titans (0-1) on Friday afternoon from Sunken Diamond.
Five Cardinal pitchers combined for the shutout, with senior Alex Williams tossing the first three frames in a predetermined staff outing. Williams, who collected the victory to move to 1-0, allowed two hits with one strikeout before handing the ball over to freshman Ty Uber. Uber tossed two scoreless with one strikeout in his collegiate debut, ultimately passing the baton to sophomore Joey Dixon for the next 2 2/3 innings.
Sophomore Tommy O'Rourke inherited a runner at first with two out in the eighth, and ultimately loaded the bases on a single and a walk, before striking out Nate Nankil to end the threat.
Making his collegiate debut as the closer in a 1-0 game on Opening Day, freshman Braden Montgomery struck out a pair and retired the side in order to convert his first career save.
Graduate transfer Joe Lomuscio sealed the shutout with a diving catch in the right-center field gap for the final out. Lomuscio entered the game as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning.
Stanford's lone run, an unearned tally in the first inning, held up thanks to the stellar combined pitching effort. Sophomore Drew Bowser came to the plate with runners at the corners and two out, slapping a ball toward shortstop where it rolled under the glove of J.T. Navyac and allowed Tommy Troy to scamper home.
The Cardinal managed just two hits – both coming in the first inning – as Eddie Park and Brock Jones each singled.
Carter White tallied a pair of singles out of the leadoff spot for Cal State Fullerton.
Cameron Repetti got the start for Cal State Fullerton, allowing just the unearned run on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts, while logging six innings. Repetti was saddled with the tough-luck loss, falling to 0-1 on the season.
Stanford will look to earn the series victory over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. First pitch from Sunken Diamond is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.
GAME NOTES: The 1-0 victory is the first for Stanford since beating Oregon State 1-0 on May 27, 2021 ... Stanford last shut out an opponent on Opening Day on February 20, 2016 (2-0 victory over Cal State Fullerton) ... the last time Stanford posted a 1-0 victory on Opening Day was January 29, 1999 vs. Fresno State ... the last time Stanford had two or fewer hits and won a game was a 2-1 win with two hits vs. Ball State on February 15, 2019.