Eight-Run Fourth Fuels Cardinal – Stanford Cardinal

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Malcolm Moore homered twice in an eight-run fourth inning as Stanford (21-32) held on for an 8-7 victory over Arizona State (32-25) on Tuesday morning to open the 2024 Pac-12 Baseball Tournament.

With the win, Stanford snapped a 10-game losing streak.

Moore broke a scoreless game with a solo home run leading off the fourth before launching a two-run shot to cap the eight-run frame. Sophomore Jimmy Nati also delivered a big hit in the inning, clearing the bases with a three-RBI double into left-center field to stretch Stanford’s lead to 6-0.

Despite trailing 8-0 in the fourth inning, No. 5 seed Arizona State never quit on Tuesday, scoring a run in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth on a two-run homer from Eamonn Lance to cut the lead to 8-4 after six innings.

Stanford worked itself into a handful of jams, issuing 13 walks and a hit-by-pitch, but continued to limit the damage and keep the lead intact.

With the Cardinal still holding a four-run cushion into the ninth, Matt Scott, who got four outs on the mound for Stanford, issued a pair of walks to the first two batters in the inning as Stanford elected to go back into the bullpen and summon Nick Dugan. The right-hander walked the first man he faced to load the bases before Cort MacDonald dove into foul territory to record the first out of the frame. The fourth walk of the inning forced in the first Arizona State run of the ninth, cutting the lead to 8-5, before Steven Ondina lofted a sacrifice fly to center field to make it a two-run game. Ryan Campos kept the Sun Devil ninth alive with an RBI-single, drawing ASU within a run at 8-7 and pushing runners to the corners with two outs. Kien Vu came to the plate with the tying run 90 feet away, but Dugan induced a fly ball to left field to seal the victory and convert his third save of the year.

Freshman starting pitcher Christian Lim struggled a bit with command, walking six batters, but he limited Arizona State’s high-powered offense to just two runs on two hits while striking out six over 4 2/3 innings.

Sophomore Toran O’Harran was credited with the win and moved to 2-4 on the season after he recorded a pair of outs in relief of Dugan. Fellow sophomore Trevor Moore struck out three over 1 1/3 innings before passing the baton to Scott with two outs in the seventh.

The Cardinal will continue pool play from the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament on Wednesday when Stanford meets second-seeded No. 6 Oregon State at 10 a.m.

GAME NOTES:…