SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Carter Graham finished 4 for 5 with a double, a triple and two RBIs to help guide No. 3 Stanford (41-14) to a 9-5 win over No. 4 Oregon State (44-15) to win the inaugural Pac-12 Baseball Tournament championship on Sunday night from Scottsdale Stadium.
With the win, Stanford has won 16 consecutive games – the longest unbeaten streak since opening the 1998 season 16-0-1. The current win streak is the longest since posting 18 straight from April 16 – May 24, 1996.
Graham's one-out triple in the first inning kick started some early momentum for the Cardinal, as Stanford plated three runs in the opening frame – including two on a massive two-run homer from freshman Braden Montgomery.
Montgomery's 16th home run of the year traveled 468 feet to straight-away center field, sailing over the batter's eye.
Neither team was able to push anything across in the second and third innings, but the two teams traded a pair of runs in the fourth. Adam Crampton led off the frame with a hit-by-pitch before Brock Jones doubled to put runners at second and third. Graham cashed in on the ensuing play, punching a two-RBI single through the right side to push the tally to 5-2.
Refusing to surrender, Oregon State got two back in the fifth on a Jacob Melton two-out, two-RBI single. The Beavers climbed all the way even in the seventh, taking advantage of an error to tie the game at 5-5.
The long ball proved to be the difference down the stretch, as sophomore Drew Bowser led off the seventh with a solo homer – his 12th of the season and fourth of the Pac-12 Tournament – to reclaim the lead for Stanford. After Crampton plated a second run with a double in the seventh, Kody Huff went the other way for a two-run home run in the eighth to provide insurance.
The home run was the 11th of the year for Huff and his third of the tournament.
Stanford used four pitchers to navigate the nine innings, with Tommy O'Rourke getting the start. The right-hander was stellar, allowing one run on one hit with four strikeouts over three innings. Drew Dowd contributed two frames before Ryan Bruno – who picked up the win and moved to 5-1 – tossed the sixth and seventh. Sophomore Brandt Pancer finished the game on the hill, allowing one hit and striking out one over the final two innings.
With the win, Stanford officially punched its ticket to the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Cardinal, announced as a regional host site earlier on Sunday, will now await the announcement of the entire tournament field on Monday at 9 a.m. PT. The selection show will air live on ESPN2.
Following the conclusion of play at the Pac-12 Tournament, third baseman Bowser and shortstop Crampton were named to the All-Tournament team. Crampton hit .467 (7 for 15) with two runs scored, a double and three RBI while playing perfect defense and making a handful of spectacular plays in the field. Bowser batted .444 (8 for 18) and connected for four home runs and two doubles while scoring six runs and driving in eight.