The hat trick

STANFORD - Internet problems at Stanford did not allow a live blog, but Friday's Stanford Regional was everything the Aggies could have hoped for.

Senior Eddie Gamboa threw an unofficial 127 pitches and outdueled Cardinal ace Erik Davis as the Aggies advanced with a 4-2 win in front of 2,644 fans at Sunken Diamond. UCD beat Stanford for the third time this season.

Gamboa was sensational, striking out seven and allowing four hits, but none after the fifth. He walked the leadoff batter in the ninth, but Brent Milleville lined into a double play and Gamboa blew a 3-and-2 fastball past Randy Molina to end the game.

Gamboa's effort reached beyond the win though. The Aggies didn't have to use their bullpen, as the entire pitching staff will be rested for the rest of the regional.

Davis was sharp himself, retiring the first 10 batters of the game, four of those by strikeout. The Aggies hit into double plays in the fourth and fifth and appeared to be headed for the loser's bracket in the regional.

Instead, UCD rallied with four in the seventh. The key at-bat in the inning might have been Ryan Scoma, who couldn't get a bunt down with runners at first and second but singled to left to make it a 2-1 game. Evan Hudson put UCD ahead 3-2 with a single down the line in left and Matt Dempsey's suicide squeeze scored the final run.

Strangely enough, Stanford held two of the Aggies' big guns - Jake Jefferies and Ryan Royster - hitless in seven at-bats, although Jefferies did walk in the four-run seventh.

The Aggies take on Pepperdine at 5 p.m. on Saturday. A win against the Waves and UCD has the inside track on winning the regional.

For more on the Stanford win and the Saturday game, check out Sunday's Enterprise.