Stanford Gets Run in Eighth to Win

It was a game in which neither team was able to feel comfortable with any lead.

But Stanford finally pushed across a run in the top of the eighth inning and made it stand up for a 6-5 baseball victory over Cal State Fullerton Saturday night at Titan Field.

The winning run came home on Jeff Rizzo’s bouncer back to third that enabled Damien Alvarado to score from third. With none out, third baseman Ryan Moore threw to first, rather than try to get the runner at the plate.

A base hit by pinch hitter Joe Savig had advanced Alvarado to third base after Titan relief pitcher Jason Westemeir walked Alvarado and was replaced by Marco Hanlon.

The 3 hour 27 minute game left the series tied at a game apiece. Today’s final game is at 1 p.m. The Titans (1-1) had shut out Stanford (2-3) a night earlier, but this time the pitching faltered.

Jordan DeJong made his first start for the Titans, giving up two runs on four hits in five innings. Jon Smith, who is expected to be the Titans’ third starter this season, replaced DeJong at the start of the sixth inning and lasted only 1 1/3 innings. Smith gave up three hits, a walk and two runs. Westemeir (0-1) took the loss.

Justin Wayne, the Cardinal starting pitcher, went six innings, giving up five hits and four runs. Brian Sager (1-0) was the winning pitcher in relief.

DeJong got off to a shaky start in the top of the first. He gave up a one-out double to Edmund Muth and hit John Gall. Then Josh Hochgesang tripled to center, but the Titans got a break when Gall was called out for failing to touch third. DeJong loaded the bases with two walks, but struck out Nick Day to get out of the inning with only one run.

The Titans came back for three runs in their half of the first on RBI singles by Moore and Aaron Rifkin and a sacrifice fly by Spencer Oborn.

First baseman Chris Beck made two outstanding defensive plays in the second to get DeJong on solid ground. Beck made a leaping grab of a line drive, then chased down a ground ball down the first-base line for another out.

After that, DeJong struck out two in the third and retired the Cardinal in order in the third and fourth. DeJong gave up a walk and then a single to Scott Dragicevich to start the fifth, but the Cardinal came away with only one run when Craig Thompson grounded into a double play.

Smith replaced DeJong at the start of the sixth and gave up three quick hits. Alvarado’s RBI single tied the score, 3-3, and Rizzo’s sacrifice fly gave Stanford a one-run lead.

The Titans tied it in the bottom of the sixth. Moore was hit by a pitch leading off and later scored on Rifkin’s single up the middle.