2023 Season in Review2023 Season in Review
Baseball

2023 Season in Review

Final Notes Opens in a new window

LEADING OFF

  • STANFORD finished the season ranked No. 4 in the nation according to D1Baseball ... entered the postseason ranked No. 6 in the nation according to D1Baseball, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and USA Today Coaches Poll, and No. 7 by NCBWA ... won five of the last eight games, 17 of the last 24, 20 of 28, 21 of 30, and 22 of 32 overall ... carried the No. 8 national seed into the postseason and has boasted a national seed in each of the last two seasons (No. 2 in 2022) ... made its 19th College World Series appearance (38th postseason appearance overall), including its third consecutive trip to Omaha ... 19 appearances are seventh-most in the nation ... owns a 41-35 overall record at the College World Series and a 165-90 (.647) all-time record in 38 postseasons, including an 84-24 (.778) record in games played at Sunken Diamond ... hosted a regional for the 21st time in program history this year and won a bracket featuring No. 25 Texas A&M, Cal State Fullerton and San Jose State to advance to the super regionals ... won three consecutive elimination games in the regional, including defeating #25 Texas A&M twice, before winning two more against Texas in the super regional to punch a ticket to Omaha ... also won five elimination games in 2022 to advance to Omaha ... has now won 14 straight postseason elimination games played at Sunken Diamond dating back to the 2019 regional and is 12-0 all-time in winner-take-all postseason games played at Sunken Diamond ... hosted a super regional for the seventh time in program history and improved to 14-4 in super regional games played at Sunken Diamond while advancing to the College World Series in all seven seasons hosting a super regional ... is the only D1 program to host a regional in each of the last six tournaments, and the only program to have made the super regional round in each of the last four ... won seven consecutive games three different times this year ... clinched a second consecutive Pac-12 conference title with a 9-2 win over Arizona on May 13 and won the Pac-12 by five games ... the back-to-back crowns, running Stanford's overall total to 21 conference championships, are the first for Stanford since 2003 and 2004 ... is the first time a team has won consecutive Pac-12 titles since Oregon State in 2013 and 2014 ... hit .362 with 144 runs scored, 45 doubles, two triples and 38 homers while posting a 10-3 record in the month of May ... was 19-8 in games decided by two runs or less this year and 44-12 when scoring three runs in a game (0-8 when scoring two or fewer) ... hit .316 as a team (first in Pac-12 and 10th nationally) and scored 8.36 runs per game to place second in the  Pac-12 (17th nationally) ... ranked first in the conference and 10th nationally in home runs (117) and was second (10th nationally) in slugging percentage (.539) ... also led the Pac-12 in hits while ranking third in the nation (745) ... ranked second in the Pac-12 (32nd nationally) in on-base percentage (.403) and paced the Pac-12 (14th in the nation) in strikeouts per game (10.47) while registering a program-record 671 strikeouts to lead the Pac-12 and rank sixth in the nation... swept Oregon State and Arizona State in the same season for the first time since 1999.
  • DREW BOWSER Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention ... drafted in the 20th round by the Chicago Cubs ... batted .270 with 41 runs scored, 11 doubles, three triples and 14 homers while driving in 48 runs ... compiled 19 multi-hit games and 16 multi-RBI contests ... homered in all three super regional games against Texas and contributed the walk-off single that sent Stanford to Omaha ... strung together a 12-game hit streak from April 23 to May 14 (.389, 21x54, 6 R, 5 2B, 3 HR, 14 RBIs) ... launched six homers, doubled five times and drove in 22 runs while hitting .300 (33-for-110) in Pac-12 play ... batted .417 (5-for-12) with a homer and four RBIs in the series at No. 20 Arizona State ... homered twice in an 18-8 victory at California on April 7 ... was a preseason All-American ... two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to beat Utah 6-4 on March 25 ... homered in the final two games at Cal State Fullerton, including a three-run shot in the top of the ninth on Sunday that sparked a seven-run frame and a comeback victory ... batted .385 (5-for-13) with four runs scored, two doubles, two homers and five RBIs in the series against Cal State Fullerton.
  • RYAN BRUNO College Baseball Foundation All-America second team ... ABCA All-Region second team ... Pac-12 All-Conference ... drafted in the seventh round by the Arizona Diamondbacks ... posted a 2-2 record with nine saves over 30 relief appearances ... struck out 56 hitters in 34 innings of work ... was a preseason All-American.
  • OWEN COBB Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention ... College Sports Communicators Academic All-America second team ... strung together an eight-game hit streak from February 18-March 3 (.486, 17x35, 7 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, HR, 8 RBIs) and hit safely in 41 of 56 games played ... collected multiple hits in 19 of his 56 games overall, including going 5-for-5 and falling a double short of the cycle at Oklahoma (March 30) ... hit .583 (7-for-12) with five runs scored, a double and three RBIs in the series against Utah.
  • JOEY DIXON All-Pac-12 honorable mention ... drafted in the seventh round by the Houston Astros ... went 7-0 with a 4.73 ERA over 21 appearances and 14 starts ... logged 83 2/3 innings while striking out 90 batters and limiting opponents to a .235 average against ... earned the victory after allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with eight strikeouts over six innings at Oklahoma (April 2) ... struck out a career-best nine batters over 5 1/3 innings vs. Washington (April 23) ... struck out a career-high tying nine batters vs. UCLA (April 30) ... struck out six over 4 2/3 innings against Texas (June 10) before entering and pitching a scoreless ninth and picking up the win against the Longhorns in the winner-take-all super regional to send Stanford to Omaha (June 12).
  • DREW DOWD ABCA All-Region first team ... Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention ... drafted in the eighth round by the Tampa Bay Rays ... registered a 9-3 record with a 4.52 ERA over 32 appearances, including three starts ... struck out 88 hitters in 65 2/3 innings while limiting opponents to a .233 average against ... pitched to a 6-1 record with a 2.77 ERA (12 ER in 39 IP) and 58 strikeouts while allowing 25 hits over his last 19 appearances.
  • DAVID ESQUER was named 2023 Pac-12 Coach of the Year for the third time while at Stanford (2018, 2022) and fourth overall (2001, California) ... earned a second consecutive ABCA West Region Coach of the Year this season ... won his 100th game at the helm of the program on March 4, 2021 as Stanford walked off with a 7-6 victory over San Francisco in 10 innings ... 700th career win came in a 5-4 triumph vs. Arizona on May 28, 2022 at Pac-12 Tournament ... collected win No. 200 at Stanford with a 16-5 win at Oklahoma on April 2, 2023 ... has amassed a 226-92 overall record at Stanford and owns a 751-559-2 record as a Division I head coach (18 seasons at California) ... .711 win percentage at Stanford is the best in program history ... 300th career Pac-12 win came against USC on May 21, 2022 to claim sole possession of 2022 Pac-12 title, while his 100th Pac-12 win at Stanford came in a 9-4 win at No. 20 Arizona State to sweep a three-game series on May 7 ... made his 10th postseason appearance as a head coach (fifth with Stanford) this year and fourth trip to Omaha after previously guiding California to Omaha in 2011 while earning National Coach of the Year honors.
  • CARTER GRAHAM Pac-12 All-Conference and All-Defensive Team ... drafted in the eighth round by the Cincinnati Reds ... College Sports Communicators Academic All-America second team ... Pac-12 All-Tournament team after batting .385 with two runs scored, three doubles, a home run and seven RBIs ... strung together a 22-game hit streak from April 18-June 2, batting .400 (42-for-105) with 28 runs scored, 10 doubles, 10 home runs and 40 RBIs ... hit safely in 29 of the last 33 games, including posting multiple hits in seven of the last 15, 11 of 20, 12 of 22, and 17 of the last 31 ... ranked second in the Pac-12 (13th nationally) in RBIs (77) and third in doubles (22) ... had an extra-base hit in seven of the last 14 games and 13 of his last 23 ... was batting .067 (2-for-30) through the first eight games, but hit .346 (85-for-246) with 21 doubles, 14 homers, 54 runs scored and 71 RBIs over the last 56 ... earned D1Baseball's National Player of the Week on May 15 after going 12-for-21 (.571) with 10 runs scored, three doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs over four games against Santa Clara and Arizona ... managed four hits in two of the four games that week, including going 4-for-5 with four runs scored, two doubles, two homers and a career-best seven RBIs vs. Santa Clara on May 9 ... homered twice and drove in six runs while going 3-for-5 at Washington State (May 20) ... batted .500 (8-for-16) with six runs scored, a double, a homer and four RBIs in the series vs. Arizona ... also homered twice in a 2-for-6 effort with five RBIs against Sacramento State (April 18) ... batted .529 (9-for-17) with nine runs scored, three doubles, a homer and six RBIs in the four-game series at Oklahoma ... drove in five runs and went 4-for-5 with two doubles and a homer at Oklahoma (April 2) ... was a preseason All-American and was listed on the watch list for the Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award.
  • QUINN MATHEWS Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year ... Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist ... D1Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game, College Baseball Foundation and ABCA All-America first team ... Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America All-America second team ... ABCA All-Region first team ... All-Pac-12 first team ... Stanford Regional All-Regional Team ... drafted in the fourth round by the St. Louis Cardinals ... lasted five innings in all but two starts this year, including at least seven in 11 of 18 (seven-plus in eight of 10 starts in Pac-12 play) ... managed 10+ strikeouts in eight starts this year, including seven of his last 12 ... managed a quality start in 16 of his last 26 turns, including eight of the last 13 ... Led the Pac-12 and was second nationally in strikeouts (158), first in the Pac-12 in victories (10), second in WHIP (1.25), third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.95) and ERA (3.75), and fourth in strikeouts per nine (11.41) ... compiled a 10-4 record with a 3.75 ERA over 19 appearances and 18 starts ... struck out 158 batters compared to 40 walks over 124 2/3 innings of work ... struck out a career-best 16 in a must-win super regional game against Texas (June 11) ... picked up the victory over Rice after tossing 6 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts (Feb. 24) ... tossed 6 2/3 innings and allowed one unearned run to earn the victory vs. CSUB (March 3) ... earned the victory after throwing seven innings and striking out six at USC (March 11) ... struck out nine in 5 1/3 innings vs. Oregon State (March 17) ... Struck out 10 over 7 2/3 innings at Oklahoma (March 31) ... 13 strikeouts while allowing two runs (one earned) over seven innings to collect the victory at California (April 6) and earn Collegiate Baseball National Pitcher of the Week ... tossed nine innings and allowed one run with 10 strikeouts in a no decision vs. Washington (April 21) ... earned the victory over UCLA after tossing 7 1/3 innings and striking out 10 (April 28) ... picked up the win at No. 20 Arizona State, striking out 11 over eight innings (May 5) ... earned a pair of wins in the Stanford Regional, including going seven innings with seven strikeouts in a start against San Jose State (June 2) and four shutout frames with five strikeouts out of the bullpen in the regional final against No. 25 Texas A&M (June 5).
  • BRADEN MONTGOMERY ABCA All-America second team ... ABCA All-Region first team ... Pac-12 All-Conference ... All-Stanford Regional selection after connecting for a pair of homers while batting .318 (7-for-22) with five runs scored, a double and four RBIs ... ranked third in the Pac-12 (26th nationally) with 51 walks ... batted .336 with 70 runs scored, 14 doubles, a triple, 17 homers and 61 RBIs ... reached base at a .461 clip and slugged .611 ... batted .366 with eight runs scored, two doubles, two homers and seven RBIs during the postseason ... homered in seven of his last 20 games ... had a game-tying two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to help Stanford to a 6-5 walk-off victory over California on April 25 ... also connected for a game-tying home run in the fifth inning at Oregon on April 16 before contributing the go-ahead RBI-single in the seventh ... launched seven homers and drove in 30 runs in Pac-12 play ...  had a reached base streak of 40 consecutive games snapped in the final game at USC (March 12), but reached in all but five games this year ... compiled 27 multi-hit games, including 11 of his last 20 overall, and hit safely in 48 of 64 games this season ... homered twice and drove in five runs at Pacific on March 1 and hit .600 (9-for-15) with 11 runs scored, a double, two homers and five RBIs over four games against Pacific and CSUB ... multi-homer game was the third of his career ... was a preseason All-American and was listed on the watch list for the Golden Spikes Award ... batted .455 (5-for-11) with five runs scored, two doubles, a homer and four RBIs in the series at Cal State Fullerton ... 3-for-3 with three runs scored and his first homer of the season on Feb. 18 before going 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles on Feb. 19 – the second of which drove in three runs and put the Cardinal on top in the ninth ... also pitched in the finale, earning the victory after tossing two innings and striking out three ... spent the summer of 2023 playing for the USA Collegiate National Team.
  • MALCOLM MOORE Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game Freshman All-America and D1Baseball and NCBWA Freshman All-America second team ... ABCA All-Region second team ... Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention ... batted .311 with 50 runs scored, 20 doubles, 15 homers and 63 RBIs ... slugged .564 in 64 games played ... batted .308 with seven runs scored, three doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs during the postseason ... hit .500 (6-for-12) with four runs scored, two doubles, a home run and five RBIs during the super regional ... All-Stanford Regional selection after launching two home runs and adding a double while driving in five ... homered in three of his last seven games and hit safely in 19 of his last 22 ... compiled 23 multi-hit games and 17 multi-RBI contests ... was 4-for-6 with three runs scored, a double and an RBI vs. California (May 24) ... went 5-for-5 with three doubles, a home run, three runs scored and three RBIs at Pacific on March 1 and finished the four games against Pacific and CSUB hitting .588 (10-for-17) with six runs scored, four doubles, two homers and seven RBIs ... launched a pair of homers, including a grand slam, to finish with seven RBIs and his second career multi-homer game at Oklahoma (March 30) ... batted .333 with five runs scored, two homers and five RBIs in three games at Cal State Fullerton to open the season ... collected his first career homer in his first collegiate at bat on February 17 at Fullerton before launching a pair in the 21-13 win on February 19 ... was listed on the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award watch list ... spent the summer of 2023 playing for the USA Collegiate National Team.
  • EDDIE PARK Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention ... drafted in the eighth round by the Chicago White Sox ... College Sports Communicators Academic All-America third team ... batted .349 with 11 runs scored, a homer and six RBIs during the postseason ... All-Stanford Regional selection after batting .409 (9-for-22) with eight runs scored, a homer and four RBIs ... finished the season hitting .333 with 68 runs scored, 19 doubles, a triple, six homers and 47 RBIs ... hit safely in 50 of 63 games this season while compiling 31 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI contests ... ranked third in the Pac-12 and 24th nationally in hits (92) ... hit .341 (42-for-123) with 31 runs scored, 11 doubles, two homers and 19 RBIs in Pac-12 play ... batted .583 (7-for-12) with three runs scored, a grand slam and eight RBIs in the series against Oregon State ... hit .429 (6-for-14) with two doubles, a homer and seven RBIs against Rice ... had a 15-game hit streak snapped on Feb. 19 at Cal State Fullerton (.492, 29x59, 12 R, 4 2B, 5 RBIs) ... first career home run came vs. Rice on Feb. 25.
  • ALBERTO RIOS Pac-12 Player of the Year and Pac-12 All-Conference ... D1Baseball, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, ABCA and NCBWA All-America first team ... Perfect Game and College Baseball Foundation All-America second team ... NCBWA District 9 Player of the Year ... ABCA All-Region first team ... drafted in the third round by the Los Angeles Angels ... finished the season hitting .384 with 69 runs scored, 24 doubles, a team-best 18 home runs and 73 RBIs ... hit safely in 54 of the 63 games played this season and compiled 26 multi-hit games and a team-best 18 multi-RBI games ... NCBWA Player of the Month for May after hitting .481 (26-for-54) with 19 runs scored, eight doubles, eight homers and 25 RBIs over 13 games played (1.074 SLG & .576 OB%) ... was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award ... Pac-12 All-Tournament after hitting .455 with five runs scored, three doubles, a homer and three RBIs ... had a 17-game hit streak from April 23-May 25, batting .544 (37-for-68) with 25 runs scored, 10 doubles, 10 homers and 31 RBIs over the span ... posted multiple hits in 13 of his last 25 games ... managed an extra-base hit in 15 of the last 25 ... second in the Pac-12 in doubles (24), hits (93) and total bases (171), third in home runs (18), and fourth in RBIs (73) and slugging percentage (.707) ... was named Pac-12 Player of the Week and earned a spot on Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week on May 15 after batting .556 (10-for-18) with seven runs scored, two doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs as Stanford went 3-1 over a midweek at Santa Clara and three games vs. Arizona ... batted .615 (8-for-13) with five runs scored, two doubles, three homers and nine RBIs - including a 5-for-6 with four runs scored, a double, three homers and nine RBIs on May 14 - in the series vs. Arizona May 12-14 ... launched 12 homers, scored 34 runs and drove in 38 while batting .434 (49-for-113) with 10 doubles in Pac-12 play (.841 slugging) ... hit .500 (7-for-14) with four runs scored, two doubles, three homers and eight RBIs in the series sweep at No. 20 Arizona State (May 5-7) to earn Pac-12 Player of the Week ... batted .667 (8-for-12) with four runs scored, a double, a homer and five RBIs in the series vs. UCLA, including launching a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning on April 30 ... set a Stanford record with 11 RBIs vs. CSU Bakersfield on March 5 ... went 5-for-7 with a pair of three-run homers in the game.
  • MATT SCOTT Perfect Game Freshman All-America second team ... went 5-5 with 62 strikeouts over 67 innings and 24 appearances, including 12 starts ... finished third in the Pac-12 in hits allowed per nine innings (7.93) ... earned the victory in his collegiate debut after throwing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts at Cal State Fullerton (Feb. 18) ... first career save after logging three strikeouts in two innings vs. Rice (Feb. 24) ... struck out five over 1 2/3 innings to earn the victory vs. Rice (Feb. 25) ... struck out five over three innings in his first career start at USC (March 11) ... earned the victory in a quality start over Oregon State after allowing one run on five hits and a walk over six innings with six strikeouts (March 18) ... tossed eight shutout innings while allowing three hits and three walks with six strikeouts to post a victory over Utah (March 26) and earn Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors ... struck out a career-best seven batters over 5 2/3 innings in a victory at California (April 7) ... made two starts in elimination games during the Stanford Regional as the Cardinal beat Cal State Fullerton (June 4) and #25 Texas A&M (June 5) - the latter being a winner-take-all game for the regional title ... was invited to training camp with the 2023 USA Collegiate National Team.
  • TOMMY TROY Perfect Game All-America first team, ABCA All-America second team, and D1Baseball and Baseball America All-America third team ... drafted in the first round (12th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks ... ABCA All-Region first team ... Pac-12 All-Conference and All-Defensive Team ... won the 2023 Pac-12 batting title after hitting .404 (78-for-193) during the regular season ... batted a team-best .394 with 76 runs scored, 17 doubles, four triples and 17 home runs to accompany 58 RBIs ... compiled a team-best 34 multi-hit games while hitting safely in 47 of his 58 games played this year ... batted .390 with 11 runs scored, two doubles, three homers and 12 RBIs during the postseason ... All-Stanford Regional and Regional MVP after hitting .571 (12-for-21) with seven runs scored, a double, three homers and 11 RBIs ... ranked second in the Pac-12 and 30th nationally in batting average (.394) ... also led the conference (12th nationally) in hits (98) and total bases (174), ranked second in runs scored (76), and fifth in slugging percentage (.699) ... collected an extra-base hit in 10 of his last 18 and 16 of the last 27 overall ... collected multiple hits in 12 of his last 19 (seven straight from May 12-24), 14 of 21 and 28 of his last 46 games overall ... batted .390 (46-for-118) with 34 runs scored, 10 doubles, a triple, eight homers and 27 RBIs in Pac-12 play ... homered in all three games at No. 20 Arizona State (May 5-7) while batting .462 (6-for-13) with seven runs scored, three doubles and six RBIs ... was named Perfect Game Player of the Week for his efforts against the Sun Devils ... had a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 16th inning to beat Washington 3-1 on April 21 ... batted .500 (9-for-18) with eight runs scored, two doubles, a triple, a homer and four RBIs in the four-game series at Oklahoma ... was 7-for-13 (.538) with four runs scored, three doubles and three RBIs against Utah ... was a preseason All-American and was listed on the watch list for the Golden Spikes Award.

A LOOK BACK

  • Stanford went 44-20 overall and 23-7 in the Pac-12 to win back-to-back conference regular season titles and punch a third consecutive ticket to the College World Series.
  • The Cardinal finished the season ranked No. 4 in the nation according to D1Baseball.
  • Stanford won five of the last eight games, 17 of the last 24, 20 of 28, 21 of 30, and 22 of 32 overall.
  • Stanford made its 19th College World Series appearance (38th postseason appearance overall), including its third consecutive trip to Omaha ... 19 appearances are seventh-most in the nation.
  • The Cardinal hosted a regional for the 21st time in program history this year and won a bracket featuring No. 25 Texas A&M, Cal State Fullerton and San Jose State to advance to the super regionals.
  • Stanford won three straight elimination games in the regional, including defeating #25 Texas A&M twice, before winning two more against Texas in the super regional to punch a ticket to Omaha.
  • The Cardinal hosted a super regional for the seventh time in program history and improved to 14-4 in super regional games played at Sunken Diamond while advancing to the College World Series in all seven seasons hosting a super regional.
  • Stanford hit .316 as a team (first in Pac-12 and 10th nationally) and scored 8.36 runs per game to place second in the Pac-12 (17th nationally) ... ranked first in the conference and 10th nationally in home runs (117) and was second (10th nationally) in slugging percentage (.539) ... also led the Pac-12 in hits while ranking third in the nation (745) ... ranked second in the Pac-12 (32nd nationally) in on-base percentage (.403) and paced the Pac-12 (14th in the nation) in strikeouts per game (10.47) while registering a program-record 671 strikeouts to lead the Pac-12 and rank sixth in the nation.

SUPER REGIONAL RECAP

  • The Cardinal came back to win a three-game super regional over Texas to advance to the College World Series.
  • Stanford took a 5-2 lead into the ninth inning, but could not hold on and fell 7-5 to the Longhorns Saturday in the first game.
  • Making his final career home appearance from Sunken Diamond, senior Quinn Mathews struck out 16 Texas hitters in a complete game effort to guide Stanford to an 8-3 victory over Texas in a must-win game on Sunday to keep the season alive.
  • Mathews threw 156 pitches to finish what he started, allowing three runs on eight hits and just one walk to accompany the career-best 16 strikeouts.
  • The strikeout total eclipsed his previous career high of 13 set on April 6, 2023 at California ... the native of Aliso Viejo, Calif. struck out two in the first, two in the second, one in the third, the side in the fourth, two more in the fifth, one in the sixth, two in the seventh, two in the eighth and the first batter in the ninth - becoming the first Cardinal pitcher to strike out 16 since Jason Young on March 5, 1999 vs. Arizona State.
  • With two outs and the game knotted at 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning on Monday, junior Drew Bowser lifted a fly ball to right-center field that was lost in the lights and fell for a walk-off RBI single as Stanford punched a third consecutive ticket to the College World Series by way of a 7-6 victory over Texas in a winner-take-all super regional game.
  • Bowser homered in all three games against Texas, batting .308 with four runs scored and six RBIs.
  • Freshman catcher Malcolm Moore hit .500 (6-for-12) with four runs scored, two doubles, a homer and five RBIs.
  • Braden Montgomery (.462, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBIs), Eddie Park (.385, R, 2 RBIs) and Temo Becerra (.375, 2 R, 2 2B, RBI) each contributed big hits offensively in the series.

STANFORD REGIONAL WRAP

  • The Cardinal went 4-1 from the Stanford Regional, including winning three consecutive elimination games, to advance to the super regional round.
  • Stanford hit .331 in the regional, scoring 44 runs while compiling eight doubles, a triple, 11 homers and 43 RBIs.
  • The Cardinal opened the postseason with a 13-2 victory over San Jose State Friday before dropping the 1-0 game to #25 Texas A&M 8-5 on Saturday night.
  • Facing elimination and needing two wins on Sunday, Stanford rallied for 6-5 and 13-5 wins over Cal State Fullerton and Texas A&M, respectively.
  • Meeting the Aggies in a winner-take-all game on Monday night, the Cardinal turned in a complete effort en route to posting a 7-1 win.
  • Following the regional, six Cardinal players were named to the All-Stanford Regional Team - junior Tommy Troy was named the Most Valuable Player, while Quinn Mathews, Malcolm Moore, Braden Montgomery, Eddie Park and Nick Dugan all earned spots on the team.
  • Troy hit .571 (12-for-21) with seven runs scored, a double, three homers and 11 RBIs in the Stanford Regional.
  • Park batted .409 (9-for-22) with eight runs scored, a homer and four RBIs.
  • Montgomery connected for a pair of homers while batting .318 (7-for-22) with five runs scored, a double and four RBIs.
  • Moore also launched two home runs and added a double while driving in five.
  • Mathews made two appearances and earned a pair of victories while pitching to a 1.64 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 11 innings during the Stanford Regional.
  • Dugan pitched in both elimination games on Sunday, collecting a victory and a save while allowing just one run on seven hits with six strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings to post a 1.23 ERA.

BATTLE TESTED IN THE POSTSEASON

  • Stanford won three consecutive elimination games, including defeating #25 Texas A&M twice, to advance out of the Stanford Regional this year.
  • This season marked the fourth consecutive regional that Stanford has played a winner-take-all game, advancing in all four (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023).
  • Once again playing with its back to the wall, Stanford dropped the opener of a super regional with Texas only to win the next two elimination games.
  • The Cardinal had a similar path in 2022, dropping the opener to Connecticut before winning the final two games to advance to Omaha.
  • Having won five elimination games in each of the last two seasons, Stanford has now won 14 straight postseason elimination games played at Sunken Diamond dating back to the 2019 regional and is 12-0 all-time in winner-take-all postseason games played at home.

REPRESENTING THE GOLDEN STATE & THE PAC-12

  • Stanford was the last Division I baseball team from California still competing in the NCAA Tournament at the start of super regionals.
  • The Cardinal were joined by Cal State Fullerton (Stanford Regional), San Jose State (Stanford Regional) and Santa Clara (Fayetteville Regional) in the tournament field.
  • Stanford was also the last team from California competing in each of the last two years - the only team from California to reach a super regional in either season.
  • Oregon hosted Oral Roberts in a super regional this year, but was defeated in a winner-take-all game on Sunday - leaving Stanford as the lone Pac-12 school headed to Omaha.

ALL-AMERICANS ON THE FARM

  • Semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award, Quinn Mathews and Alberto Rios added All-America honors from College Baseball Foundation, Baseball America, D1Baseball, Perfect Game, Collegiate Baseball, ABCA and NCBWA for the 2023 season. 
  • Rios, the Pac-12 Player of the Year and NCBWA District 9 Player of the Year, was listed on the first team for D1Baseball, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, ABCA and NCBWA, and second team according to Perfect Game and College Baseball Foundation.
  • Mathews, the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, landed on the D1Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game, College Baseball Foundation and ABCA first team, and Collegiate Baseball's and Baseball America's second team.
  • Rios was the only Pac-12 player to earn a spot on the Collegiate Baseball first team, and is the second first-team selection in as many seasons for the Cardinal after Alex Williams was lauded a year ago.
  • Ryan Bruno, Braden Montgomery and Tommy Troy also earned All-America honors, with Bruno landing on College Baseball Foundation's second team, Montgomery earning a spot on ABCA's second team, and Troy receiving first team honors from Perfect Game, a second team selection according to ABCA, and third team nods from Baseball America and D1Baseball.
  • Freshman Malcolm Moore earned Freshman All-America honors from Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game and was listed on D1Baseball and NCBWA's Freshman All-America second team.
  • Freshman Matt Scott also earned Perfect Game All-America honors, landing on the second team.

WORKING HARD ON THE FIELD AND IN THE CLASSROOM

  • Senior Owen Cobb and juniors Carter Graham and Eddie Park were named 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans, it was announced on June 7. 
  • Cobb and Graham earned spots on the second team, while Park landed on the third team.
  • Cobb, the 2021 Elite 90 Award winner, carries a 3.87 GPA as a management science & engineering major ... Graham, a science, technology & society major, boasts a 3.58 GPA ... Park carries a 3.68 GPA as a management science & engineering major. 
  • The 35-man team had a 3.80 average GPA, with the first team checking in at 3.83 ... five of the 10 student-athletes with perfect 4.0 cumulative GPAs this year were first team honorees.
  • This season marks the third consecutive year that Stanford has boasted multiple Academic All-Americans ... the Cardinal earned three in 2021 (Brendan Beck, Tim Tawa and Brock Jones) and two in 2022 (Alex Williams and Jones).
  • Stanford has now managed 23 total Academic All-America selections since 1972.

MAY SHOWERS BRING RIOS POWERS

  • The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named Alberto Rios its Dick Howser Trophy Player of the Month for May.
  • Rios hit .481 (26-for-54) during the month of May for the Cardinal, with eight doubles, eight homers and 25 RBIs over 13 games.
  • Rios drew 10 walks and struck out just four times, adding two steals and scoring 19 runs.
  • The native of Bellflower, Calif. slugged 1.074 and reached base at a .576 clip over the course of the month.
  • The Pac 12 Player of the Year – the first Cardinal to win the honor since Jed Lowrie in 2004 – earned two Pac-12 Player of the Week honors in May.

PAC-12 DANCING

  • Five Pac-12 programs were selected to the 2023 NCAA Baseball Championship, including Conference champion Stanford among the top-16 national seeds to host regional play ... Oregon, the automatic bid after winning the Pac-12 Tournament, Oregon State, Washington and Arizona were also selected to the tournament field.
  • Competing as the No. 2 seed in the Nashville Regional hosted by Vanderbilt, Oregon advanced to host Oral Roberts in a super regional, but was eventually eliminated by the Golden Eagles in a winner-take-all game.
  • Oregon State was eliminated after traveling to LSU as the No. 2 seed in the Baton Rouge Regional.
  • Washington was the No. 3 seed in the Stillwater Regional hosted by Oklahoma State - a regional that was eventually won by Oral Roberts.
  • Arizona, the Pac-12 Tournament runner-up, competed as the No. 3 seed at the Fayetteville Regional hosted by Arkansas - a regional eventually won by TCU.
  • This year marked the second straight year the Pac-12 sent five teams to the NCAA tournament, with the five in 2023 the fourth-most among all conferences.
  • Pac-12 programs have combined to win 29 of the 76 NCAA baseball championships all-time, with Oregon State winning the league's most recent championship in 2018.
  • The Conference has had a representative in all but seven NCAA College World Series fields since the championship began in 1947 ... a Pac-12 team has finished either first or second in 39 of those championships. 
  • Pac-12 programs account for six of the 15 schools that have captured multiple college baseball national championships - double the number of schools of any other conference. 

MATHEWS AND RIOS NAMED SEMIFINALISTS FOR GOLDEN SPIKES

  • Senior Quinn Mathews and junior Alberto Rios were named among the 25 semifinalists for the 2023 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award.
  • The duo joined Mark Appel (2012, 2013), Jason Castro (2008) and Heath Quinn (2016) as Stanford semifinalists since 2007.
  • Eighteen different universities were represented in this year's semifinalist group, including five schools – Florida, LSU, Stanford, Virginia, and Wake Forest – who placed multiple players on the list
  • Eight players, including Rios, played their way onto the list since the Midseason Watch List was announced in April.
  • In total, eight different conferences placed at least one athlete on the semifinalist list ... the SEC led all conferences with eight players, while the ACC had the second most with seven ... joining Mathews and Rios from the Pac-12 was Arizona's Chase Davis.
  • USA Baseball announced the three finalists for the award on June 7, as LSU's Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews were joined by Florida's Jac Caglianone.
  • Crews would ultimately win the 2023 Golden Spikes Award when it was announced on June 25.
  • A trio of Cardinal, namely Mathews, Braden Montgomery and Tommy Troy, were named to the preseason watch list.
  • The 2023 preseason list included 55 athletes from the ranks of high school and college baseball ... the Golden Spikes Award Advisory Board maintained the award's watchlist on a rolling basis, allowing athletes to play themselves into consideration for the award based on their performances throughout the season.
  • In total, 40 schools and 16 conferences were represented on this year's Preseason Watch List ... LSU and Tennessee led all schools with four student-athletes appearing on the list, followed closely by Stanford with three ... seven other schools placed a pair of selections to begin their seasons: Florida, Maryland, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Virginia, and Wake Forest.
  • The Pac-12 boasted five players on the Golden Spikes Award watch list, as Arizona's Chase Davis and UCLA's Cody Schrier joined the three Cardinal.
  • The list was narrowed to 45 players on April 5 as part of the midseason watch list, with Montgomery and Troy both being listed.
  • Thirty-three schools and 13 conferences were represented on the 2023 midseason list ... LSU and Wake Forest each boasted three players to lead all programs ... the list also featured eight schools with two players: Stanford, Florida, Grand Canyon, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Virginia ... additionally, the SEC led all conferences with 16 representatives, followed by the ACC with seven and the Pac-12 with four.

CARDINAL CLEANS UP PAC-12 YEARLY AWARDS 

  • Stanford captured four of the five major Pac-12 yearly awards in addition to the batting champion - with David Esquer named Coach of the Year, Alberto Rios winning Player of the Year, Quinn Mathews winning Pitcher of the Year and Malcolm Moore taking home Freshman of the Year ... Tommy Troy won the batting title after hitting .404 in the regular season.
  • In addition to the yearly award winners, 12 Cardinal players earned All-Pac-12 honors, with Ryan Bruno, Carter Graham, Mathews, Montgomery, Rios and Troy earning a spot on the first team ... Drew Bowser, Owen Cobb, Joey Dixon, Drew Dowd, Moore and Eddie Park each landed on the honorable mention list.
  • Troy (3B) and Graham (1B) also found themselves on the Pac-12 All-Defensive team. 
  • Rios is the first Pac-12 Player of the Year from Stanford since Jed Lowrie in 2004 ... it is the ninth selection in Stanford history.
  • Stanford has won three consecutive Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year awards, as Mathews follows Brendan Beck (2021) and Alex Williams (2022) ... the Cardinal has claimed 10 Pitcher of the Year selections in program history. 
  • Moore is the sixth Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in program history, including the second consecutive after Montgomery was lauded in 2022.
  • 2023 marks the third Coach of the Year selection for Esquer while at Stanford (2018, 2022) ... it is the 12th time in program history (Mark Marquess - nine times) ... Esquer had previously captured Pac-10 Coach of the Year while at California in 2001.

PUT UP HISTORIC NUMBERS

  • Stanford hit 117 home runs through 64 games this year - an average of 1.83 per game.
  • The Cardinal fell one homer shy of the program record of 118 set in 2022.
  • Stanford's .316 team average was the best for the Cardinal in a single season since the 2004 squad hit .324.
  • Stanford also drove in the third-most runs in program history (511) while compiling the third-most total bases (1,269).
  • Tommy Troy's .394 average was the best for a Cardinal in a season since Jed Lowrie hit .399 during the 2004 season.
  • Stanford's 145 doubles were the most since the 2003 squad managed 156 ... Alberto Rios managed 24 doubles - the third-most in program history and the most since Chris Minaker had 25 in 2005.
  • The Cardinal boasted six players with 10 or more home runs this year (Rios - 18; Montgomery - 17; Troy - 17; Graham - 15; Moore - 15; Bowser - 14)
  • Stanford's 671 strikeouts were the most for a Cardinal pitching staff in program history, surpassing the 605 from 1999.
  • Quinn Mathews led the way on the hill, striking out 158 batters - second only to Jason Young's 178 from 1999 in program history.

REPPING THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE

  • Braden Montgomery, Malcolm Moore and Matt Scott were all invited to participate in the 2023 Collegiate National Team Training Camp following the conclusion of the season.
  • Following the four-game intrasquad series played at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, Montgomery and Moore earned spots on the U.S. roster.
  • Kathy Wolff Assistant Baseball Coach Thomas Eager also donned the Red, White and Blue, serving as the team's pitching coach.
  • Team USA concluded its CNT campaign with a 7-3 overall mark that included a five-game sweep of Chinese Taipei in the International Friendship Series.
  • Montgomery hit .200 with four runs scored, two homers and four RBIs over nine games played and eight starts.
  • Moore batted .188 with four runs scored and a double while playing in six games and starting four for the U.S.

REPEAT REGIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

  • Having guided Stanford back to Omaha for the third consecutive season, Clarke and Elizabeth Nelson Director of Baseball David Esquer was named ABCA West Region Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
  • Esquer, the 2023 Pac-12 Coach of the Year, guided Stanford to a 44-20 overall record and a 23-7 mark in the Pac-12 en route to an appearance in the 2023 College World Series – the 19th in program history and third under his command.
  • The Cardinal also claimed the Pac-12 regular season title for the second consecutive season and third time with Esquer at the helm (2018, 2022-23).
  • Through six seasons at Stanford, Esquer has compiled a 226-92 overall record to post a .711 winning percentage – the highest percentage of any coach in Stanford baseball history.
  • Having completed his 24th season as a Division I head coach, Esquer carries a 751-559-2 career record.
  • Including a selection in each of the last two seasons, the region coach of the year honor is the third for Esquer after winning the award in 2011 while at California.

PRODUCTIVE LATE

  • Thanks to a memorable come-from-behind victory over Texas State to win the 2022 Stanford Regional, the Cardinal has made a name for itself as a club unwilling to surrender.
  • The reputation was upheld this year as Stanford trailed 11-6 headed into the ninth inning at Cal State Fullerton on February 19 before scoring seven in the ninth and eventually winning 21-13 in 10 innings to earn a series win over the Titans ... the Cardinal outscored Cal State Fullerton 15-2 in the final two frames.
  • Stanford added another comeback on March 19 when it erased a 4-1 deficit with a four-run bottom of the seventh to earn a 5-4 victory and a series sweep over Oregon State.
  • Drew Bowser launched a walk-off two-run homer to break a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the ninth and hand Stanford a 6-4 victory over Utah on March 25.
  • Cole Hinkelman connected for a go-ahead three-run home run on a 2-2 pitch with two outs in the top of the ninth at California as Stanford beat Cal 5-3 on April 8.
  • Tommy Troy connected for a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the 16th inning to break a 1-1 tie and hand Stanford a 3-1 victory over Washington on April 21.
  • Adding more heroics, Braden Montgomery connected for a game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth before Jake Sapien contributed a walk-off single to beat California on April 25.
  • Alberto Rios hit a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the eighth to turn a 7-6 deficit into a 10-7 victory over UCLA on April 30 ... Rios would then connect for a go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to earn a victory at No. 20 Arizona State on May 5.
  • Stanford trailed 5-2 headed to the seventh inning at Washington State on May 18, but rallied for three in the seventh and two in the 10th, highlighted by a pair of homers from Tommy Troy, to eventually earn a 7-6 win in 10 innings.
  • Most recently, Stanford stunned Texas on June 12 with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth as a ball off the bat of Drew Bowser was lost in the night sky and allowed the Cardinal to punch a ticket to Omaha.
  • Throughout the season, Stanford outscored its opposition 120-86 in the eighth inning or later.
  • Stanford managed eight comeback victories in the seventh inning or later this year, nine wins in its final at bat this season, and five walk-off victories.

LONG BALLS LEADING THE WAY

  • Stanford connected for 117 homers to lead the Pac-12, including 18 from junior Alberto Rios, 17 from sophomore Braden Montgomery and junior Tommy Troy, 15 from junior Carter Graham and freshman Malcolm Moore, and 14 from junior Drew Bowser ... the 117 round-trippers ranked 10th in the nation, while the 1.83 homers per game ranked first in the Pac-12 and 15th nationally.
  • The Cardinal was +39 in home runs this year, having connected for 117 while allowing 78.
  • Stanford homered in all but 14 games this year and totaled multiple homers in 34 of the 64 games.
  • The Cardinal clubbed 17 homers in the final 12 games, 22 in the last 15, 43 in the last 20, 56 in the last 25, 62 in the last 28, and 68 in the last 32 games overall.
  • Stanford twice hit six homers in a game this year - a 20-17 victory at Santa Clara on May 9 and a 21-20 loss to Arizona on May 14.
  • Stanford was 39-11 when hitting at least one home run in a game and 28-6 when hitting two or more this season.
  • Stanford's lineup featured 13 different players with a home run, including 11 with multiple and six with double-digit homers.
  • The Cardinal hit 15 homers in the postseason this year.

RIOS & GRAHAM LAUDED FOR BIG WEEKS

  • Junior Alberto Rios was named Pac-12 Player of the Week and earned a spot on Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week on May 15.
  • Rios batted .556 (10-for-18) with seven runs scored, two doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs as Stanford went 3-1 over a midweek at Santa Clara and three games vs. Arizona.
  • In the three-game series against Arizona, Rios hit .615 (8-for-13) with five runs scored, two doubles, three homers and nine RBIs.
  • The native of Bellflower, Calif. went 5-for-6 with four runs scored, a double, three homers and nine RBIs on May 14.
  • His 15 total bases in that game are the most for a Cardinal player since Andrew Daschbach homered four times to total 16 bases vs. Cal Poly on May 14, 2019.
  • Rios put together two games of five hits and nine-plus RBIs after setting a Stanford record with 11 RBIs as part of a five-hit day against CSU Bakersfield on March 5.
  • The Pac-12 selection was the second in as many weeks for Rios after earning the honor following a standout weekend at Arizona State May 5-7.
  • Not to be outdone, junior Carter Graham earned D1Baseball's National Player of the Week for his efforts the same week.
  • Graham went 12-for-21 (.571) with 10 runs scored, three doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs, managing four hits in two of the four games, including a 4-for-5 with four runs scored, two doubles, two homers and a career-best seven RBIs vs. Santa Clara on May 9.
  • In the three-game series against Arizona over the weekend, Graham batted .500 (8-for-16) with six runs scored, a double, a homer and four RBIs.

PAC-12 PITCHER OF THE WEEK

  • Freshman Matt Scott earned his first career Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week selection, and the first for Stanford this year, on March 27.
  • Scott started and pitched a career-high eight scoreless innings in a game-two win over Utah (5-1) on March 26.
  • The freshman allowed only three hits across eight frames while striking out six to help the Cardinal clinch the series win over the Utes.

A RECORD DAY FOR RIOS

  • Junior Alberto Rios set a Stanford record, and matched the Pac-12 record, with 11 RBIs in a 24-9 Stanford victory that earned a series sweep over CSU Bakersfield on March 5.
  • The 11 RBIs matched the previous Pac-12 record of 11 set by UCLA's Bill Scott vs. Washington in a game that started on March 29, 1999 and was completed on March 30, 1999 due to rain.
  • Rios, who entered the game having driven in six runs in nine games, contributed a two-RBI single in the first, launched his first career home run - a three-run shot - in the second, tallied an RBI-single in the fourth, plated two more with a single in the seventh, and finished his day with a three-run homer in the eighth
  • The native of Bellflower, Calif. finished the contest 5-for-7 with three runs scored, the two homers and 11 RBIs.

NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE WEEK

  • Senior Quinn Mathews was selected as one of Collegiate Baseball's national players of the week on April 10 after striking out a then-career-best 13 hitters in a victory over California on April 6.
  • Mathews struck out the 13 over seven innings of work while allowing just two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks ... the 13 strikeouts eclipsed Mathews' previous high of 11 in games against Washington State (3/26/22) and at No. 3 Oregon State (4/3/22) ... the left-hander threw 113 pitches to work the seven frames as Stanford defeated California 8-7 en route to sweeping the Golden Bears in a three-game series.
  • The Collegiate Baseball Player of the Week selection is the second of Mathews' career after previously being lauded on April 4, 2022.

RIOS AND TROY PUT UP BIG NUMBERS TO EARN WEEKLY HONORS

  • Alberto Rios and Tommy Troy took a liking to hitting in Arizona in a three-game series at No. 20 Arizona State from May 5-7.
  • Rios hit .500 (7-for-14) with four runs scored, two doubles, three homers and eight RBIs – totaling a 1.286 slugging percentage and .533 on-base percentage during the series to earn Pac-12 Player of the Week honors.
  • The native of Bellflower, Calif. launched a pair of homers and added two more doubles in Friday's series opener, including hitting a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning that proved to be the game-winner. 
  • Junior Tommy Troy batted .462 (6-for-13) with seven runs scored, three doubles, three homers and six RBIs in the series sweep at Arizona State.
  • The native of Los Gatos, Calif. hit a home run in all three games at Arizona State, finishing with a 1.385 slugging percentage and a .563 on-base percentage to earn Perfect Game National Player of the Week.

OPENING WEEKEND NOTES

  • Since 1959, Stanford has opened the season with a three-game series against Cal State Fullerton 11 times (1994, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2023) … the Cardinal has won seven of the 11 series and has amassed a 20-13 record over the 33 games in those sets.
  • Including an 8-1 setback this year, Stanford is 49-15-1 overall on Opening Day since 1959 and has won five of its last eight games to open a season.
  • The Cardinal has played 26 opening weekend series of three-or-more games since 1959 and is 18-8 in those series ... Stanford has compiled a 53-26 record over the 79 games in those sets.

CARDINAL TABBED FAVORITE IN PRESEASON POLL

  • Stanford was voted the preseason favorite to win the 2023 conference title according to the Pac-12 coaches ... this year marked the second consecutive season that Stanford had been picked to win the Pac-12.
  • The Cardinal earned 99 points in the preseason poll, including nine first-place votes ... UCLA followed with two first-place votes to earn 90 points and claim second ... Oregon State (77 points), Arizona (74 points) and Oregon (68 points) rounded out the top five.
  • Arizona State was picked to finish sixth (45 points), followed by Washington (43 points), California (40 points), Washington State (29 points), USC (24 points) and Utah (16 points) to round out the poll.
  • Stanford, which won the 2022 Pac-12 regular season title and the inaugural Pac-12 tournament championship, began the year ranked in the top four in all six national polls - including a No. 3 ranking according to the D1Baseball, NCBWA, Collegiate Baseball, College Baseball Foundation and USA Today Coaches.
  • In addition to the preseason poll, the Pac-12 revealed the first baseball preseason all-conference team in its history, which was also voted on by the league's coaches ... Stanford landed a conference-leading eight players on the preseason list, including Drew Bowser, Ryan Bruno, Joey Dixon, Carter Graham, Quinn Mathews, Braden Montgomery, Eddie Park and Tommy Troy.

PRESEASON ALL AMERICANS

  • Six Cardinal earned preseason All-America honors headed into the 2023 season, including senior Quinn Mathews, juniors Drew Bowser, Ryan Bruno, Carter Graham and Tommy Troy, and sophomore Braden Montgomery.
  • Stanford's five selections (Bruno, Graham, Mathews, Montgomery, Troy) from the NCBWA and D1Baseball were the most in the nation for each publication.
  • Bowser was a third-team selection according to Collegiate Baseball.
  • Bruno landed on D1Baseball's first team, and was a second-team selection according to Baseball America and NCBWA.
  • Graham was a first-team selection according to NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball, while landing on the second team according to D1Baseball and Perfect Game.
  • Mathews was a first-team selection according to Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game, landed on NCBWA's second team, and placed on the third team according to D1Baseball ... the native of Aliso Viejo, Calif. was also named Pac-12 Preseason Pitcher of the Year according to D1Baseball.
  • Montgomery was a second-team selection according to Perfect Game, Baseball America and NCBWA, while landing on D1Baseball's third team ... the native of Madison, Miss. was also voted Pac-12 Preseason Player of the Year according to Perfect Game and D1Baseball.
  • Troy was a first-team selection according to D1Baseball, Baseball America and Perfect Game, while landing on NCBWA's third team.

TOP PROSPECTS ON THE FARM

  • D1Baseball published its listing of the top draft prospects for the 2023 and 2024 MLB drafts, and the Cardinal was well-represented in the rankings, including boasting the Pac-12's top prospect in each class in Tommy Troy (2023) and Braden Montgomery (2024).After Troy, Ryan Bruno (6), Drew Bowser (7), Carter Graham (9) and Quinn Mathews (12) are all top 15 prospects for the 2023 draft.
  • Montgomery headlines a 2024 list that features Malcolm Moore (6), Ty Uber (27) and Charlie Saum (28).

MOORE AMONG TOP COLLEGIATE CATCHERS

  • Freshman Malcolm Moore was added to the watch list for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award on May 9.
  • Previously known as the Johnny Bench Award, the Buster Posey Award honors the nation's top division one collegiate catcher as voted on by head coaches and sports information directors.
  • The watch list was narrowed down to the semifinalists on May 22, but Moore was not included on that list.
  • The three finalists were Jack Payton (Louisville), Ryan Snell (Lamar) and Kyle Teel (Virginia), with Teel eventually winning the award.

MONTGOMERY A TOP TWO-WAY PLAYER

  • Braden Montgomery was one of 47 players on College Baseball Foundation's John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year watch list, including one of six from the list in 2022.
  • The 47 players mark the highest number of two-way players on the mid-season watch list in the award's history.
  • Montgomery was one of two Pac-12 players on the list, joined by California's sophomore Tucker Bougie.
  • Four teams had two players on the watch list – Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Louisville and Georgia Tech.
  • The semifinalists for the Olerud Award were announced in late May, but Montgomery was not included on the list.
  • The finalists for the award were junior left-hander/first baseman Jac Caglianone from Florida, junior left-hander/first baseman T.J. Fondtain from San Diego State, junior right-hander/first baseman Caden Grice from Clemson, senior right-hander/infielder Ryan Ignoffo from Eastern Illinois and sophomore left-hander/infielder Payton Tolle from Wichita State ... Grice was eventually named the winner of the 2023 award.
  • The award is named for former Washington State University standout John Olerud, who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s ... he was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

GRAHAM AMONG NATION'S TOP HITTERS

  • Junior Carter Graham was named to the Bobby Bragan National Collegiate Slugger Award (BBNCSA) watch list.
  • The award, created by the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, was open to nominations from all Division I baseball programs in the country.
  • The BBNCSA is based on performance at the plate, academics and personal integrity.
  • This year's watch list consisted of 51 players representing 19 conferences around the country, including all five power conferences.  
  • The BBNCSA originally started out in 2017 as an honor going to the top college hitter in Texas ... in 2019, the BBNCSA became a regional award covering Division I programs in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma ... the BBNCSA became a national award in 2020; however, no winner was announced due to the Covid-19 virus which cut the 2020 college baseball season short.
  • The winner of the 2023 BBNCSA was LSU's Dylan Crews ... Texas Tech's Hunter Hargrove won the initial BBNCSA in 2017 ... Dallas Baptist's Devlin Granberg took home the honor in 2018 with Texas Tech's Josh Jung winning the award in 2019 ... Connor Norby from East Carolina University won the BBNCSA in 2021, while last year's winner was Ivan Melendez from the University of Texas.
  • Six players from the Pac-12 were on the watch list, including Graham, Drew Cowley (Oregon), Chase Davis (Arizona), Jacob McKeon (Washington State), Tanner Smith (Oregon) and Jacob Walsh (Oregon)

BASEBALL COACHING ENDOWMENT CELEBRATES KATHY WOLFF

  • Thanks to a gift from an anonymous donor family, an endowed assistant coach position pays tribute to Kathy Wolff - a longtime administrative associate for more than two decades to Stanford's baseball and women's volleyball programs.
  • Thomas Eager was named the inaugural Kathy Wolff Assistant Baseball Coach prior to the start of the 2022 season.
  • Often considered the "heart and soul" of the baseball program, Wolff was hired as an administrative assistant in the marketing department in 1985 ... the native of Palo Alto began working with the baseball program in 1987, later adding administrative duties with the women's volleyball program.
  • Wolff, who saw the Cardinal win two national championships during her first two seasons with the program, helped coordinate 11 trips to the College World Series in Omaha ... the beloved member of the Stanford Baseball family was busy coordinating another College World Series trip when she passed away on June 11, 2008 ... the Cardinal honored Wolff that year by wearing "KW" patches on its sleeves throughout the College World Series run.
  • In addition to helping the program recruit and retain the best coaching staff, the endowed assistant coaching position recognizes the influence that Wolff still has on the athletics department today ... Stanford's Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (DAPER) annually recognizes a staff member with the Kathy Wolff Award for best exemplifying her spirit—a passion for Stanford and an ongoing desire to help and support his/her colleagues ... in the week leading up to baseball season every year, the athletics department celebrates Cake Week—a time when staff members are encouraged to continue Wolff's tradition of bringing in baked goods to enjoy together.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

  • Often considered one of the most beautiful college baseball facilities in the country, Klein Field at Sunken Diamond is the home to Stanford baseball.
  • The "Sunken Diamond" name comes from the excavation to provide fill for the earthen berm within which Stanford Stadium was built in 1921, leaving a large, sunken field.
  • The fixed seating capacity of Klein Field at Sunken Diamond is 2,113 ... with the addition of disabled seating and general admission lawn seating, the total capacity of the facility is 4,000.
  • The original dimensions were 360 feet to left field, 350 to right, and 500 feet to center ... in 1978, a new seven-foot high fence was installed, bringing the dimensions to the current 335 to both left and right field, and 400 to center ... the outfield fence was increased to 10 feet in 1995.