Stanford Falls Short at Cal

BERKELEY, Calif. – Stanford scored first, and held a 3-2 lead into the seventh inning, but California (31-18) plated a pair of runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to defeat the Cardinal (20-29) 5-3 on Monday night in nonconference play.

Junior Charlie Saum connected for his eighth home run of the year in the top of the second, staking Stanford to a 2-0 lead. Saum, who had been out of action since April 27, has now homered in three of his last five games, and four of his last eight overall.

Cal immediately responded for two runs in the bottom of the second as Jag Burden and Dominic Smaldino contributed RBI-singles to tie the game.

The two runs were all that tarnished a strong start from freshman Joey Volchko, who dealt five innings and allowed five hits and four walks while striking out four.

A two-out error opened the door for Stanford to take a 3-2 lead in the fifth, as Cort MacDonald reached on an error charged to Cal first baseman Peyton Schulze. MacDonald would steal second and take third on an errant throw to second, setting the table for an RBI-single through the left side from Jimmy Nati.

Volchko gave way to fellow freshman Ryan Speshyock in the sixth, and the right-hander hung a zero in his first inning of work. Trotting back out for the seventh, Speshyock retired the first hitter, but hit Caleb Lomavita with a 1-0 offering. Rodney Green Jr. followed with an RBI-double to tie the game before coming around to score the go-ahead run on a double from Schulze.

Smaldino capped a 2-for-3 night with a towering solo home run in the eighth – his second round-tripper of the season – to add an insurance run for the Golden Bears.

Austin Turkington, who recorded the final out of the fifth inning as part of his 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, was credited with the victory and moved to 2-1 on the season. Oliver Boone retired all six batters he faced over the final two innings, recording his first save of the year.

Stanford will wrap up the regular season this week, traveling to UCLA for a three-game Pac-12 series beginning Thursday at 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES:

• Stanford has lost a season-high seven straight games, eight of its last nine, and 23 of the last 35 overall.
• The Cardinal is now 2-3 against California this season, having taken 2-of-3 from the Golden Bears in the annual Pac-12 series.
• Temo Becerra (1-for-4, R) has hit safely in 20 of his last 28 games and 26 of his last 34 overall.
• Trevor Haskins (1-for-3) has hit safely in 14 of his last 18, 23 of 28, and 27 of 35 overall.
• Cort MacDonald (1-for-4, R) has hit safely in 15 of his last 17, 23 of his last 26 and 29 of his last 33 … has reached in all but five of his games played this year, hitting safely in all but six.