STANFORD, Calif. - Three Stanford relievers combined for six shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight, as No. 8 Stanford (22-7) defeated No. 21 Texas Tech (22-11) 6-4 on Monday night from Sunken Diamond.
Nicolas Lopez logged 1 1/3 hitless innings with one strikeout before Max Meier tossed 2 2/3 with two strikeouts to pick up the win and move to 2-0. Ryan Bruno pitched the final two frames and struck out five to earn his third save of the year. The five punchouts matched a career high for Bruno - marking the fourth time in his career he has recorded five.
Freshman Nick Dugan got the start and totaled a season-high tying six strikeouts over three innings. Texas Tech did all of its damage in the four-run second inning as they scored four runs on four hits.
Senior Cole Hinkelman led the way offensively for the Cardinal, going 1-for-1 in the ballgame with a home run, two walks and three RBIs. Hinkelman's three-run homer got the offense started in the second inning and cut the early deficit to 4-3. He has now homered in consecutive games after launching the go-ahead homer in the ninth to beat Cal 5-3 on April 8.
Eddie Park drove in a pair of runs with productive outs, drawing the Cardinal even with a sac fly in the fourth before extending a 5-4 Cardinal lead by a run with a run-scoring groundout in the sixth.
Junior Carter Graham contributed what proved to be the game-winning hit, launching his fifth home run of the season to lead off the fifth and put Stanford on top at 5-4. The homer came off of Andrew Devine, who dropped to 1-3 with the loss after allowing two runs over 1 1/3 inning.
UP NEXT
Stanford will conclude the two-game set with Texas Tech on Tuesday when the two team collide at 2:05 p.m.
GAME NOTES
» Stanford has now won five straight games and 12 of its last 14 overall.
» The Stanford pitching staff combined to strike out 14 Texas Tech hitters.
» Alberto Rios (1-for-3) and Tommy Troy (1-for-4) have hit safely in six straight games.
» Stanford pitchers faced 41 Texas Tech hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out 14.
» The Cardinal drew six walks from Texas Tech pitching.
» Texas Tech was led offensively by freshman Gage Harrelson, who went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI.
