BERKELEY, Calif. (Interstat) — Hideki Prather’s solo home run in the fifth inning ignited a California Golden Bears comeback, and the hosts edged the Stanford Cardinal 4-3 on Friday night at Evans Diamond in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup.

California improved to 28-25 overall and 15-11 in ACC play. Stanford dropped to 27-24 and 13-13.

The Golden Bears outhit Stanford 9-8. California starting pitcher Oliver de la Torre worked into the seventh inning, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out five. Hideki Prather, the Bears’ catcher, went 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run, a walk and two RBIs. First baseman Daniel Murillo doubled and drove in a run. For Stanford, left fielder Jimmy Nati homered and drove in two runs, and right fielder Brock Sell also homered.

Stanford took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Charlie Bates singled and later scored on a double-play groundout. The Cardinal added a run in the third after Bates singled again and came home on a sacrifice fly.

Prather tripled to lead off the bottom of the third and scored on Murillo’s double to cut the deficit to 1-1. The score remained tied until the fifth, when Prather launched a solo shot to deep left field, giving California a 2-1 lead.

Stanford answered in the top of the seventh. JJ Moran singled, and Nati followed with a two-run home run to deep left, putting the Cardinal ahead 3-2. Sell then homered to right field for a 3-2 lead. The Bears tied it in the bottom of the seventh when shortstop Jett Kenady homered to left, scoring Prather, who had reached on a fielder’s choice.

The decisive moment came in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs, Lawson Olmstead walked and was replaced by pinch runner Jackson Norum. Stanford pitcher Colt Peterson, who had relieved Kassius Thomas, induced a grounder from Brady Errecart, but second baseman Eric Jeon committed a fielding error, allowing Norum to advance to third. Ethan Kodama then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Norum to give the Golden Bears a 4-3 lead.

Stanford threatened in the top of the ninth. Nolan Stoll singled and was replaced by pinch runner Rashad Hayes. Sell sacrificed Hayes to second. After a pitching change to Ethan Foley, Bates walked. But Teddy Tokheim flied out to center field and Cort MacDonald struck out swinging to end the game.

For Stanford, starting pitcher Aidan Keenan allowed one run on three hits over two innings. Andrew Shaw, Ben Reimers, Austin Steeves, Parker Warner, Kassius Thomas and Colt Peterson combined to allow three runs — two earned — on six hits over the final six innings.

The series continues Saturday. Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Stanford 6, California 5, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Stanford a 51.40 percent probability to win.