Meet the Cardinal… A program with a two-year Omaha hangover
Who’s the Pack playing?
Opponent: Stanford
Mascot: Buncha Nerds | School Location: Eponymous, CA | Conference: ACC
2025 Record: 25-23 (9-18, 13th) | 2025 RPI Rank: 55
2024 Record: 22-33 (11-19, 8th) | 2024 RPI Rank: 157
2023 Record: 44-20 (23-7, 1st) | 2023 RPI Rank: 17
When? Where? How do I watch?
Location: Doak Field at Dail Park (Raleigh, NC)
Game Time(s): Thurs, May 15 @ 6:00pm, Fri, May 16 @ 6:00pm | Sat, May 17 @ 1:00pm
TV: Thursday (ACCNX), Friday (ACCNX), Saturday (ACCNX)
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast (Thursday | Friday | Saturday)
Tell me about this team
I’m still struggling to wrap my head around how Stanford has been in such a funk the last two years. After making the College World Series in three consecutive years from 2021-2023 and tallying a pair of Pac12 regular season crowns (2022, 2023) and a Pac12 tournament title (2022), the Cardinal are a combined 47-56 since with a 20-37 combined conference record across their final season of Pac12 play and their inaugural run in the ACC.
It’s not like there was a coaching change either. David Esquer has been at the helm since the start of the 2018 season, guiding Stanford to those three consecutive CWS runs as well as two other NCAA Regional appearances and one Super Regional. Prior to last year, the worst record Stanford “suffered” under Esquer – the former Stanford player and, oddly enough, head coach at rival California (he led the Golden Bears to a CWS appearance in 2011) – was a 39-17 mark posted by the 2021 squad that ended their season in Omaha. The worst RPI ranking posted by Stanford under Esquer before 2024 was 16th in 2023, another season that ended in Omaha.
So what’s happened the last two years has been nothing short of strange, but don’t let the record fool you – this is not a Stanford team that’s going to roll over to anybody.
The lineup has a combined line of .301/.380/.474, 82 2B, 60 HR, 8.4 BB%, 18.6 K%, 19-42 SB on the season. Aside from an insistence on trying to steal bases even though they clearly should not be doing so, it’s a productive group. Stanford ranks 2nd nationally with a line drive rate of 23.7%, and five Cardinal batters rank in the top 31 of ACC players in batting average in conference play. The two main issues plaguing Stanford at the dish are an aggressive approach that doesn’t produce many walks (4th lowest walk rate nationally at 8.4%) and that line drive approach (coupled with an average fly ball rate) doesn’t produce many extra-base hits.
In the field, the Cardinal sport a team fielding percentage in ACC play of .976, which is the 5th best mark in the conference and just a hair behind NC State’s mark that clocks in at 3rd.
Pitching has been the main letdown for Stanford this year, with the team sporting an ACC worst 8.28 ERA in league play as part of a combined total line on the season of 6.61 ERA, 416.1 IP, 11.1 BB%, 20.8 K%. Losing 2024 Freshman All-American starter SO LHP Christian Lim (2-3, 6.75 ERA, 40.0 IP, 8.2 BB%, 15.3 K%) in mid-April didn’t help.
Despite ACC opponents hitting a league best (well, worst from Stanford’s perspective) .317 against them, Cardinal pitchers have been generally pretty good about not giving up the long ball (31 HR allowed in ACC games), but they have given up 65 doubles, the 2nd worst mark in league play. Stanford pitchers have been surprisingly okay at not plunking hitters despite uncorking 30 wild pitches in 27 ACC games, a mark trailing only Louisville’s 50, if you’re looking for a silver lining.
Stanford could return 10 of their top 12 hitters next year and their entire pitching staff. Of course, that’s not accounting for the inevitable hits from MLB Draft and the transfer portal, but if you’re looking for a bright spot moving forward, if the coaching staff can convince the eligible guys to return and supplement them via the transfer portal and an incoming freshman class that ranks 34th nationally, 2026 could be a bounce back year for Stanford.
Pitching Matchups
Thursday: LHP Ryan Marohn (SO) — RHP Joey Volchko (SO)
Friday: LHP Dominic Fritton (JR) — TBD
Saturday: TBD — TBD
Key Players:
Offense
3B Trevor Haskins (SR) – .337/.384/.589, 12 2B, 13 HR, 5.3 BB%, 13.3 K%, 0-3 SB. A very underrated player who is balling out as a senior. Spent each of the last two summers in the Cape Cod League. Has found his power stroke this year crushing 13 HR after hitting just 8 total over his first three years, while also significantly cutting down on strikeouts.
LF Tatum Marsh (FR) – .371/.455/.528, 12 2B, 3 HR, 5.7 BB%, 9.8 K%, 3-9 SB. Currently on a 6-game hitting streak (one of four 6+ game streaks his had this year) and has a .371 batting average in ACC games, the 9th best mark in the conference. Has a very mature approach for such a young player with superb contact skills. He’s a player to keep an eye on in the future.
SS Temo Becerra (rJR) – .341/.394/.435, 9 2B, 1 HR, 6.9 BB%, 11.9 K%, 3-6 SB. High-contact player hitting .340 in ACC play. Is an excellent defender, too, with the tools that will make him a target on every MLB team’s radar, even if not a high draft pick. Likely has more power in his frame than he’s shown thus far.
RF Brady Reynolds (SO) – .310/.407/.548, 9 2B, 8 HR, 10.4 BB%, 26.9 K%, 2-5 SB. Has struggled of late, going hitless in 7 of his last 10 games. Strikeouts are his major weakness. A lot of potential if he can cut down on the K’s.
CF Ethan Hott (rSO) – .350/.424/.524, 7 2B, 3 HR, 8.2 BB%, 13.1 K%, 3-4 SB. Currently ranks 5th in the ACC in batting average in conference play (.394) and 15th in OBP (.456). Is sort of an all-or-nothing hitter with hits in 20 of 35 games, but with multiple hits in 13 of those 20 games. Excellent contact skills despite the high number of hitless games.
2B Jimmy Nati (JR) – .298/.360/.548, 8 2B, 13 HR, 6.6 BB%, 19.9 K%, 1-6 SB. Native of Australia, although he moved to the US in 2010. Had a 14-game hitting streak earlier this year, as well as a separate 11-game hitting streak to start the season. Was the team’s first baseman last year, but moved to second base this year to make way for…
1B Rintaro Sasaki (FR) – .283/.388/.439, 8 2B, 7 HR, 10.5 BB%, 19.2 K%, 1-2 SB. Can’t not mention Sasaki who entered the year as D1’s Preseason ACC Freshman-of-the-Year and Baseball America’s Preseason National Freshman-of-the-Year. An insane amount of hype driven from his prep success in Japan and ties to Shohei Ohtani. The 6’0, 275 lbs lefty hitter has been very good and is currently riding a six-game hitting streak with HRs in two of his last four games.
Pitching
RHP Matt Scott (JR) – 5-2, 6.02 ERA, 52.1 IP, 9.0 BB%, 23.0 K%. 6’7, 245 pounder who was garnering some late 1st round interest early in the season but has since fizzled. Started the first 11 weeks of the season before being a late scratch from his scheduled May 3rd start against Boston College. He didn’t pitch last weekend in a OOC series against Grand Canyon, so it’ll be interesting to see if he’s back on the bump this weekend. He’s a low-to-mid 90’s arm with his 4-seamer, with a low-90’s cutter, a curve, and a split-changeup. He’s equal parts every pitching coach’s dream and nightmare.
RHP Joey Volchko (SO) – 3-3, 5.97 ERA, 63.1 IP, 10.3 BB%, 17.8 K%. Pitched with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team last summer as well as in the Cape Cod League. Has a big time fastball with that sits in the mid-to-upper 90’s, having touched 98 this year, with occasional cutting action. Also has a super tight slider. Potential 2026 1st rounder if the stuff comes together right from his 6’4, 218 pound frame.
RHP Nick Dugan (JR) – 6-0, 4.76 ERA, 39.2 IP, 9.9 BB%, 19.9 K%. Has stepped into the weekend rotation the last two weekends while Scott has been out. Made five midweek starts earlier in the year before that. If Scott is back, he might move into the bullpen, but they’d be smart to keep in in the weekend rotation. Over his last five starts: 30.0 IP, 22 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 8 BB, 1 HBP, 23 K.
RHP Aidan Keenan (SO) – 1-3, 5 SV, 5.91 ERA, 32.0 IP, 9.2 BB%, 29.1 K%. The team’s closer features a mid-90’s fastball and a superb changeup that’s a real out pitch. Started the year off with 9 consecutive scoreless outings (11.1 IP), but has been touched up of late (15 ER over his last 11.0 IP spanning 7 outings).
RHP Ty Uber (rJR) – 1-2, 2 SV, 5.57 ERA, 32.1 IP, 12.7 BB%, 18.7 K%. The lone listed senior pitcher on the team this year’s roster, but he actually still has another year of eligibility left. Began his career as a starter before moving to the bullpen and then missing all of last year. He’s a big dude (6’4, 240 lbs) with a big mid-90’s fastball. Moved into the weekend rotation the last two weekends, but that’s likely done since Grand Canyon touched him up for 7 ER in 1.2 IP on Sunday.
LHP Sam Garewal (rSO) – 1-2, 1 SV, 8.64 ERA, 25.0 IP, 12.0 BB%, 28.8 K%. With Lim being out for the year, this is really the only lefty Stanford has left. Transfer from Northwestern where he was a Big Ten All-Freshman Team member in 2023, but missed all of last year due to injury.
RHP Ryan Speshyock (SO) – 1-2, 5.01 ERA, 23.1 IP, 12.8 BB%, 29.1 K%. Low 90’s fastball that can touch 94. He mixes it with a change up that has occasional good arm-side run and a hard curve.
Quick! Fun Facts!
These two programs have only ever met in the NCAA Tournament. The last time was the opener for both teams in the 2021 College World Series, an emphatic good-buddy 10-4 win for the Wolfpack. The other two meetings were in the Austin Regional in 2006 when Stanford beat NC State, 7-2, in the opener for both teams and then knocked out the Pack in the Regional final, 17-7.
There are nine former Stanford Cardinal players who have appeared at the MLB level this season: C Maverick Handley (Orioles), 2B Tim Tawa (Diamondbacks), LHP Erik Miller (Giants), OF Kyle Stowers (Marlins), LHP Kris Bubic (Royals), 2B Tommy Edman (Dodgers), 2B Nico Hoerner (Cubs), RHP Cal Quantrill (Marlins), OF Austin Slater (White Sox).
Stanford has made 19 College World Series appearances, winning two titles (1987, 1988). Between 1995 and 2003, the Cardinal made the CWS 7 of 9 seasons.
Long-time Stanford coach Mark Marquess, who led the program to both of their national titles, put together a 1,627-878-7 career mark with the Cardinal before retiring after the 2017 season. He played baseball and football at Stanford, where his freshman year roommate was Mitt Romney.
The Key To A Series Win For State
Against a team with a solid lineup, NC State hast to minimize the mistakes – both physical and mental. Don’t give Stanford any extra outs to work with and don’t give them any free base runners; they will make you pay. If the Wolfpack can play cleaner ball than the Cardinal, they’ll be in good shape.
Prediction
Usually I’m very pessimistic, but not this time, and this has nothing to do with the opponent. This is a hardnosed, blue collar Pack9 team. They’ve fought all year and been through their share of ups and downs, yet they’re exactly where they need to be. There is something monumental within their grasp, but they have to take care of business to make it happen while getting a bit of help from their rival down the road.
This is it. This is the moment this team has been working their tails off for and it’s about to come to fruition. Come Saturday afternoon, this team is going to be creating a dog pile on the field at The Doak.
Outcome: The Pack sweep Stanford