Stanford smashes Rice to even best-of-3 series

OMAHA, Neb. -- John Hudgins earned his third win of the College World Series, and Sam Fuld hit a leadoff home run to tie the CWS record for career hits as the Cardinal defeated Rice 8-3 on Sunday in the second game of the championship series.

Stanford (51-17) evened the best-of-three series, and the teams will play Monday night for the title.

Hudgins (14-3) became the eighth pitcher to win three games in the tournament, and the first since Wichita State's Greg Brummett in 1989. Hudgins, who beat South Carolina in Stanford's CWS opener and Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday, held Rice (57-12) to three runs on 10 hits in seven-plus innings.

In 24 CWS innings, Hudgins has allowed five earned runs, walked six and struck out 15.

The Cardinal broke open a 3-1 game with a five-run seventh, highlighted by Jonny Ash's two-run double.

Fuld, who tied Texas' Keith Moreland with his 23rd CWS hit, led off the bottom of the first with his fourth homer of the season. The Cardinal added two more runs in the third against starter Wade Townsend (11-2) when Brian Hall scored from third on Townsend's wild pitch, and Tobin Swope scored on Carlos Quentin's RBI single.

Rice made it 3-1 in the fourth when Quentin lost track of Matt Ueckert's fly ball in right field. The ball dropped between Quentin and center fielder Fuld, allowing Craig Stansberry to score from second.

Stanford, helped by Rice first baseman Vincent Sinisi's two rare errors, built its lead to 8-1 in the seventh.

The Cardinal loaded the bases when Sinisi fielded Brian Hall's bunt and threw wildly to second baseman Jed Lowrie, who was covering first. Townsend walked Swope to force in a run, and Fuld reached when Sinisi mishandled his grounder, bringing in another run.

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