Stanford Baseball Walks Off Against Fresno State

Freshman Brock Sell hits game-winning triple in the bottom of the 9th inning

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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On Friday, the Stanford baseball team defeated Fresno State 6-5 in a thrilling walk-off victory. Freshman left fielder Brock Sell hit a triple in the bottom of the 9th inning to bring home the winning run and give the Cardinal the win. Stanford got home runs from 2nd baseman Jimmy Nati and 3rd baseman JJ Moran, while starting pitcher Nick Dugan went 6 innings, giving up 4 earned runs. The win improves Stanford's record to 5-4 on the season.

Why it matters

This was an important win for Stanford as they continue to develop their young team and learn how to win close games. The Cardinal have played a number of one-run games already this season, and this walk-off victory should give them confidence moving forward. The heroics of Sell and the power display from Nati and Moran were crucial in securing the victory.

The details

In the bottom of the 9th inning with the game tied 5-5, Stanford freshman Brock Sell came up to the plate with one out and a runner on base. Sell then hit a triple to deep right field to bring home the winning run and give the Cardinal the 6-5 victory. Earlier in the game, Stanford got home runs from Nati and Moran, while starting pitcher Dugan went 6 innings, giving up 4 earned runs. The win improves Stanford's record to 5-4 on the season.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 27, 2026.
  • The walk-off hit by Sell occurred in the bottom of the 9th inning.

The players

Brock Sell

A freshman left fielder for Stanford who hit the game-winning triple in the bottom of the 9th inning.

Jimmy Nati

Stanford's 2nd baseman who hit a home run in the game.

JJ Moran

Stanford's 3rd baseman who also hit a home run in the game.

Nick Dugan

Stanford's starting pitcher who went 6 innings, giving up 4 earned runs.

David Esquer

Stanford's head coach.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, man, just got my pitch and took a hack, you know what I mean? I'm just trying to keep it simple right now at the plate and get my swing off and do anything I can to help the boys win.”

— Jimmy Nati, Stanford 2nd baseman (on3.com)

“I mean, that was sick. Like, it's just cool to get the opportunity to be able to do that and pull through for the boys. It was sick...”

— Brock Sell, Stanford freshman left fielder (on3.com)

“Oh, it was awesome. Selly's the man. We got a great freshman class. We're a very very close team, so to see, see him do that. I'm proud of him. It was a lot of fun.”

— Jimmy Nati, Stanford 2nd baseman (on3.com)

What’s next

Stanford and Fresno State will play game two of their series on Saturday, February 28th at 2:05 PM PT. The probable pitching matchup is Stanford junior righty Aidan Keenan (0-1, 3.48 ERA) vs. Fresno State sophomore righty Tyler Patrick (0-1, 5.23 ERA).

The takeaway

This thrilling walk-off win showcases the resilience and talent of Stanford's young baseball team. The Cardinal have played a number of close games already this season, and this victory should give them confidence and momentum as they continue to develop and improve throughout the year. The heroics of players like Sell, Nati, and Moran demonstrate the depth and potential of this Stanford squad.