February 21, 1999
STANFORD, Calif. - Junior Damien Alvarado's (Sacramento, CA/Jesuit HS) two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning gave fifth-ranked Stanford (10-3) a 5-3 victory over visiting California (5-8) on Sunday afternoon at Sunken Diamond. Stanford has now won 18 of the last 21 meetings between the two schools dating back to 1995.
Senior Josh Hochgesang (Fullerton, CA/Sunny Hills HS) started the eighth-inning rally with a two-out walk. After walking sophomore Joe Borchard (Camarillo, CA/Camarillo HS) intentionally, the Golden Bears brought in freshman reliever Trevor Hutchinson (Del Mar, CA/Torrey Pines HS). Alvarado then blasted a 1-0 pitch from Hutchinson into the gap in left-center field to score both Hochgesang and Borchard.
Stanford starter Jason Young (Berkeley, CA/Berkeley HS) then retired the Golden Bears in order in the bottom of the ninth for his second complete game of the season. Young, who improved to 3-1, allowed just six hits and the three earned urns, while walking three and striking out a career-high 10. Young outdueled Cal sophomore Ryan Atkinson (1-2; San Jose, CA/Bellarmine Prep HS) who allowed just three hits over 7.2 innings.
The Cardinal jumped on top early with three runs in the bottom of the first. Stanford opened the first with three straight hits, but did not record another hit until Alvarado's double in the eighth. Junior John Gall (Portola Valley, CA/St. Francis HS) highlighted the first inning rally with a two-run double, while junior Jeff Rizzo (San Diego, CA/LaJolla HS) later added a sacrifice fly.
Cal cut the lead to 3-2 in the sixth on back-to-back RBI doubles by juniors Tommy Callen (Burlingame, CA/Saint Mary's College) and Curtis Johnson (Oakland, CA/St. Joseph HS). The Golden Bears then tied the game in the seventh when sophomore Xavier Nady (Salinas, CA/Salinas HS) doubled and later came around to score on a balk. Stanford then answered back with the two runs in the bottom of the eighth to wrap up its ninth straight win.
Game three of this non-conference series will be played on Monday at 5 p.m. at Sunken Diamond. Monday's contest is a make-up of Saturday's contest that was rained out.
Linescore
California 000 002 100 --- 3 6 0 Stanford 300 000 02x --- 5 4 0 Atkinson, Hutchinson (8) and Tonis; Young and Alvarado. WP - Young (3-1). LP - Atkinson (1-2). 2B - Nady (CAL), Callen (CAL), C. Johnson (CAL), Muth (STAN), Gall (STAN), Alvarado (STAN). Records - California 5-8, Stanford 10-3.