STANFORD, Calif. – Three home runs helped Stanford beat Washington State 9-4, Saturday in Pac-12 Conference baseball at Sunken Diamond.

After the Cougars (22-27, 12-14 Pac-12) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second on a run-scoring double by Patrick McGrath and an RBI-ground out by Ben Roberts, the Cardinal (26-22, 13-13) hit a pair of homers in the third off Jason Monda (2-6) to take a 4-2 lead.

Stanford added a solo shot in the fifth off Monda and two runs in the sixth against the Cougar bullpen to extend its lead to 7-2.

The Cougars picked up a run it the seventh thanks to some wildness by the Cardinal. With one out, Roberts and Trace Tam Sing were hit by pitches from Stanford starter John Hochstatter (9-1). Collin Slaybaugh greeted the reliever with a single and two batters later a wild pitch brought home Roberts.

Stanford answered with two runs in its half of the seventh and took a 9-3 lead into the ninth. Down to its last three outs, the Cougars started a rally when Roberts and Ian Sagdal walked. Slaybaugh singled to load the bases and Nick Tanielu knocked in a run with a one-out single to cut Washington State's deficit to 9-4. Yale Rosen then bounced into a game-ending double play.

The final meeting so the series is slated for noon, Sunday.