May 12, 1999
STANFORD, Calif. - Sixth-ranked Stanford (38-12) scored 11 runs in its final three at-bats to post a come-from-behind 12-5 victory over Santa Clara (19-34) on Tuesday night at Sunken Diamond. The Cardinal has now won 11 straight games dating back to April 24. Santa Clara appeared to take control in the top of the sixth when it scored four times to break a 1-1 tie. Senior Kevin Okimoto's (Palo Alto, CA/Palo Alto HS) two-RBI triple highlighted the inning, while sophomore Matt Queen (Saratoga, CA/Archbishop Mitty HS) added an RBI single.
The Cardinal answered back in the bottom half of the inning by scoring seven times and sending 12 batters to the plate. Stanford had just three hits in the bottom of the sixth, but took advantage of five Bronco walks and two wild pitches. Sophomore Billy Jacobson (Spring, TX/St. Thomas HS) hit an RBI single to left that gave the hosts the lead for good at 6-5, while senior Josh Hochgesang (Fullerton, CA/Sunny Hills HS) also had an RBI double in the inning.
The hosts later added three in the seventh, thanks to a two-RBI double by junior Damien Alvarado (Sacramento, CA/Jesuit HS), and one in the eighth to win going away. The late Stanford rally made a winner out of Cardinal left-hander Brad Drew (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada/Waterloo Collegiate Inst.), who improved to 2-3.
Stanford finished the night with 11 hits, led by three from junior first baseman John Gall (Portola Valley, CA/St. Francis HS). Hochgesang added two hits and two RBI, and now has 181 RBI in his Stanford career to move into a tie for sixth with Dusty Allen (1992-95) on the all-time school list.
The Cardinal shoots for its third straight Pac-10 regular season title this weekend when it visits UCLA on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. Stanford (17-4 in the Pac-10) leads USC (15-6) by two games with three remaining. The Cardinal needs just one win, or one USC loss, to clinch a tie for the title and two wins, two USC losses or win and one USC loss to clinch the title outright. Santa Clara closes out its season this weekend at Loyola Marymount with a noon doubleheader on Saturday and a 1 p.m. single game on Sunday.
Linescore
Santa Clara 000 014 000 - 5 9 2 Stanford 100 007 31x - 12 11 1
Rice, Kelley (4), Boyanich (6), Ampi (6), Battagin (7), DeMartini (7) and Ward; Wodnicki, Rich (4), Willcox (6), Drew (6), Gosling (7), Cogan (8) and Alvarado. WP Drew (2-3). LP Boyanich (2-5). 2B Wheeler (SCU), Albright (SCU), Hinn (SCU), Hochgesang (STAN), Alvarado (STAN). 3B Okimoto (SCU). Records Santa Clara 19-34, Stanford 38-12.