Stanford pounded out nine runs and 13 hits while John Hudgins allowed only two hits in eight innings as the fourth-ranked Cardinal defeated the Sacramento State baseball team, 9-1, Friday evening at Sunken Diamond. The loss ended the Hornets'' season-high four-game hitting streak and dropped their record to 20-16 on the year. Stanford improved to 23-10.Stanford jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning after an RBI single by Ryan Garko. Sam Fuld led off the inning with a walk and then stole second. After a sacrifice bunt by Brian Hall, senior Steve Cuckovich got Carlos Quentin to strike out looking. With a 3-2 count, Garko pulled a ball through the left side to score Fuld from third.
The Cardinal would make it a 9-0 contest after scoring three runs in the fourth, two in the fifth and three in the sixth. In the fourth, Danny Putnam hit a solo home run to left, Donny Lucy recorded an RBI ground out and Brian Hall drove in a run with a single. Putnam and Lucy each recorded RBI singles in the fifth and Garko and Swope added RBI singles in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Sacramento State would score its only run in the ninth after an RBI single by junior Bobby Ciani. Junior Cliff Hinkle and Chris Kinsey led off the inning with consecutive walks by Kodiak Quick. With two outs, Ciani laced a single to left to score Hinkle from third.
Junior Jesse Schmidt extended his team-leading hitting streak to 19 games after recording a base hit in the second inning. The San Diego native is now third in the Hornet record book and three games behind Casey Simpson (22, 1992) for the program record.
John Hudgins (6-2) earned the win after allowing no runs on two hits while striking out 11 batters and walking only one in eight innings of work.
Cuckovich (5-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs on six hits while walking five and striking out one in four innings.
Sacramento State and Stanford will complete its two-game set at Hornet Field on Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m.
