STANFORD, CA. — No. 2 Stanford’s offense grabbed two runs in the first inning and six more in the second to forge an 8-2 lead after two before the Cardinal (46-16) forced a win by the same record Sunday afternoon in a crucial one Game three of a super regional against Connecticut (50-15) on Monday.
The game time and ESPN broadcast channel have yet to be named for Monday’s game, which will determine a College World Series berth.
Junior Kody Huff Scoring for the Cardinal, designated as the visiting team, began at the top of the first team. Huff worked a 10-pitch at bat and blasted a two-out, two-RBI single into midfield to hunt home Carter Graham and Brett Barrera.
After UConn responded for a run in the bottom of the first, Stanford blew up for six runs, six hits in the second – highlighted by a triple homer from the freshman Braden Montgomery. Montgomery’s explosion was his 18thth of the season and second in as many games in the super region.
second grader Drew Bowser also went deep into the inning – sent his 18th of the year in the left midfield. For Bowser, who went 2 for 4 on the plate, the homer was his third of the super regional and 10th in the last 11 games.
Stanford starter Ty Uber got a pair of outs in the first inning but passed the ball to the second Brandt tanker after a walk and a wild pitch that pushed the runners into the corners. Pancer knocked out Korey Morton to finish the first and start his 3 1/3 innings of work. The right-hander, who improved to 3-0 with the win, had a run for a hit with three punchouts.
second grader RyanBruno was next from the bullpen, posting two scoreless frames with four strikeouts ahead of Junior Quinn Mathews went the last three unsuccessful innings while leading four to convert his eighth save.
Austin Peterson had the start for UConn, allowing seven runs with seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts over 1 1/3 innings. The right-hander was ejected by home plate umpire Casey Moser after being removed from the game. Four UConn reliefs sat down to piece together the final 7 2/3 innings, with Cole Chudoba contributing 5 2/3 frames.
Peterson fell back to 11-3 with the loss.
Stanford will be looking to earn its second consecutive ticket to Omaha with a win on Monday. Monday’s winning take-all is the fifth elimination game the Cardinal has played in the past nine days. Stanford won two games against No. 20 UCSB and No. 13 Texas State at last Sunday’s Stanford Regional before beating the Bobcats 4-3 in the regional finals last Monday.