Stanford Baseball Walks Off Utah Valley in Series Opener

Rintaro Sasaki's game-winning single in the 9th inning lifts the Cardinal to a 4-3 victory

Mar. 22, 2026 at 7:19am

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In a back-and-forth game, Stanford baseball defeated Utah Valley 4-3 on a walk-off single by Rintaro Sasaki in the bottom of the 9th inning. The Cardinal rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the 8th, with Sasaki hitting a solo home run to tie the game. Kassius Thomas pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief to earn the win for Stanford, which was in need of a confidence-boosting victory after a slow start to the season.

Why it matters

This win provides a much-needed boost for a Stanford team that has struggled early on, going just 8-12 overall and 1-5 in conference play. The Cardinal were able to grind out a close victory against an experienced Utah Valley squad, showcasing the team's resilience and ability to come from behind. The pitching staff also stepped up, with Thomas closing the door in the 9th to set up Sasaki's heroics.

The details

Stanford starter Quinten Marsh and Utah Valley's Jacob Heppner engaged in a pitchers' duel for much of the game, with the Wolverines taking a 2-0 lead on a pair of Stanford errors in the 2nd and 7th innings. But the Cardinal chipped away, with Sasaki's solo shot in the 8th making it 3-2 before Ethan Hott's sacrifice fly in the 7th tied the game. In the 9th, Philip Cheong came in to pinch run after a leadoff double by Eric Jeon, and Sasaki delivered the game-winning single to center field to score the winning run.

  • In the top of the 7th inning, Utah Valley's Derek Houston hit a solo home run to make it 2-0.
  • In the bottom of the 8th inning, Rintaro Sasaki hit a solo home run to cut Utah Valley's lead to 3-2.
  • In the bottom of the 9th inning, Sasaki hit the game-winning single to score the tying and winning runs.

The players

Rintaro Sasaki

Stanford's first baseman, who went 2-for-5 with a home run and the game-winning RBI single in the 9th inning.

Kassius Thomas

Stanford's relief pitcher, who earned the win by pitching 1.2 scoreless innings to close out the game.

David Esquer

Stanford's head coach, who praised his team's resilience and the pitching staff's performance in the close victory.

Jacob Heppner

Utah Valley's starting pitcher, who kept the Cardinal in check for much of the game before the late rally.

Derek Houston

Utah Valley's slugger, who hit a solo home run in the 7th inning to extend the Wolverines' lead.

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What they’re saying

“It was fun, very fun moment. So, I mean, we did a good job to the ninth running, to defense, so I just want to make a win. I mean, starting from Jimmy, bottom of the 9th inning, but I was ready for that. Actually, I was ready for AB focusing. Keep focusing, keeping focusing on like coming to AB.”

— Rintaro Sasaki, Stanford First Baseman

“It's a mindset. I go in there and I'm trying to kill the batter. I get in the game, it's like I look at them and excuse my language, I'm like f— you. And that's what's helped me to, like, I'm out there trying to kill him. It doesn't matter if we're up 10, down 10, I'm trying to go in there and f—ing win the game. So that's what you gotta have.”

— Kassius Thomas, Stanford Relief Pitcher

“Yeah, we needed it, right? He had two big swings for us and you know, those RBIs obviously were huge. And for him to just do it in that spot. Hopefully, when he gets in those spots more often, he's a little more relaxed and confident that it's happened before.”

— David Esquer, Stanford Head Coach

What’s next

Stanford and Utah Valley will play a doubleheader on Sunday, with the first game starting at 1:05 PM PT and the second game beginning at 4:05 PM PT or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Both games will air on ACCNX.

The takeaway

This hard-fought victory could provide the spark Stanford needs to turn around its season. The Cardinal showed resilience and clutch hitting to rally late, while the pitching staff did enough to keep them in the game. If Stanford can build on this momentum, it could be the start of a turnaround for a team that has struggled early on.