FULLERTON, Calif. – Led by three-hit games from Rintaro Sasaki, Brady Reynolds, Temo Becerra and Tatum Marsh, Stanford (3-0) won a 14-11 slugfest over Cal State Fullerton (0-3) on Sunday from Goodwin Field.
Reynolds and Marsh each homered, with Marsh’s blast helping him finish a single short of the cycle. Senior Charlie Saum also connected for a round-tripper to mark the first three homers of the year for Stanford.
Marsh opened his day with a double in the second, delivered an RBI-triple in the third, was hit by a pitch in the fifth, and launched a go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth to eventually finish 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs.
As it did in both games of a doubleheader on Friday, Stanford came out strong offensively on Sunday afternoon. Jimmy Nati singled home the game’s first run before Reynolds punched a two-out single back up the middle to drive in two more and stake Stanford to the early 3-0 cushion.
Reynolds closed Sunday 3-for-5 with three runs scored, the homer and three RBIs.
After Cal State Fullerton scratched three across in the first, Stanford again took the lead on a two-out single from Trevor Haskins in the second.
The Titans threw the next punch, plating five runs in the second inning to claim their first lead of the series at 8-4, but Reynolds’ home run and the RBI-triple from Marsh cut the deficit to two at 8-6 halfway through the third inning.
Once again responding, Cal State Fullerton scored three in the bottom of the third to stretch the lead to 11-6, but sophomore Ryan Speshyock and the Cardinal bullpen held firm from there.
Speshyock recorded the final two outs in the third inning and allowed just one hit while striking out six over 3 2/3 innings of relief to eventually earn his first career victory.
With the ship now settled on the mound, Stanford’s offense went to work building the momentum. Sasaki, who finished 3-for-5, laced a bases-clearing three-RBI double off the wall in left-center field to run the tally to 11-10 in the fifth.
Another zero from Speshyock in the bottom of the fifth was followed by Marsh’s go-ahead three-run homer in the top of the sixth – handing Stanford a lead it would not relinquish.
His work done, Speshyock handed the ball to junior Toran O’Harran in the seventh. The right-hander allowed one hit and struck out one over two scoreless frames before sophomore Aidan Keenan turned in a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure his second career save.
All told, Stanford’s trio of relievers combined to allow just one hit with six strikeouts from the fourth inning on.
The Cardinal will look to secure a four-game series sweep over Cal State Fullerton on Monday when the two teams conclude the set with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch.
GAME NOTES
- All but one Stanford starter collected a hit in the victory
- Sunday's game marked the first for the Cardinal that four-plus hitters have collected three-or-more hits in a game since May 20, 2023 ... also the first game Stanford has had three-plus players with three-or-more runs scored in a game since April 19, 2024
- Stanford scored 14 runs on 17 hits on Sunday and has totaled 33 runs on 40 hits through three games played at Cal State Fullerton
- Stanford is opening the season against Cal State Fullerton for the fourth straight season and 12th time since 2000 (13th time overall)
- Having won the first three games of the series, Stanford is now 8-4 in the 12 season-opening series since 2000
- The Cardinal has played 27 opening weekend series of three-or-more games since 1959 and is 19-9 in those series ... Stanford has compiled a 57-28 record over the 85 games in those sets so far
- Temo Becerra (3-for-5, 3 R) has now hit safely in 13 straight games dating back to last season
- Tatum Marsh (3-for-4, 3 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBIs) compiled nine total bases – the most for a Cardinal since Jimmy Nati had 10 vs. Arizona State on May 12, 2024
- Jimmy Nati (1-for-5, R, RBI) has now hit safely in seven straight games dating back to last season … is batting .429 (6-for-14) through three games this season
- Brady Reynolds (3-for-5, 3 R, HR, 3 RBIs) is hitting .500 (6-for-12) with four runs scored and six RBIs through three games this year
- Rintaro Sasaki (3-for-5, R, 2B, 3 RBIs) is 6-for-14 (.429) with two doubles and a team-best eight RBIs through three games this year
- Ryan Speshyock (W, 3.2 IP, H, 6 K) set a new career high in strikeouts