January 30, 1999
STANFORD, Calif. - Fresno State used a four-run seventh inning rally to post an 8-6 come-from-behind victory over No. 7 Stanford on Saturday afternoon at Sunken Diamond. Both teams are now 1-1 on the season.
The win helped the Bulldogs snap a six-game losing streak against the Cardinal. Fresno State had not defeated Stanford since a 1-0 victory at Sunken Diamond on February 8, 1997.
Stanford led 4-3 after 6.0 innings, but the Bulldogs took the lead for good with four runs on five hits in the top of the seventh. With two outs, back-to-back RBI singles by junior Anthony Acevedo (Bakersfield, CA/Bakersfield JC) and freshman Denis Brewer (Fresno, CA/Edison HS) gave the visitors a 5-4 lead. After a single by junior Simon Tafoya (Pittsburg, CA/Pittsburg HS) loaded the bases, freshman Brandon Gemoll (San Jose, CA/Leland HS) walked on four pitches to force in a run. Brewer later came in to score on a wild pitch to give the Bulldogs the 7-4 advantage. Stanford scored a run apiece in the seventh and eighth, but left the tying runners on base in the bottom of the ninth to suffer its first defeat of '99.
Fresno State jumped on the board first with a solo run in the top of the first, but Stanford rallied for four in the bottom half. Junior Edmund Muth (Long Beach, CA/St. John Bosco HS) had an RBI triple in the rally, while senior Josh Hochgesang (Fullerton, CA/Sunny Hills HS) and freshman Joe Borchard (Camarillo, CA/Camarillo HS) each had run-scoring singles.
The Bulldogs cut the lead to one with a pair of runs in the fifth, and then took the lead for good in the seventh. And while Fresno State mounted its comeback offensively, Bulldog relievers Hans Smith (Salinas, CA/Hartnell JC) and Hans Smith (Central Point, OR/Crater HS) shut the Cardinal down at the plate. Gonzalez allowed just a hit and an unearned run over 2.1 innings to earn his first collegiate win, while Smith worked the final 2.1 to pick up his second career save. Stanford starter Justin Wayne (Honolulu, HI/Punahou HS) took the loss, his first in seven career decisions.
The final game of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. at Sunken Diamond. Stanford sophomore left-hander Brad Drew (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada/Waterloo Collegiate Inst.) will oppose Bulldog freshman right-hander Nick Moran (Elk Grove, CA/Elk Grove HS)).
Linescore
Fresno State 100 020 401 - 8 13 1Stanford 400 000 110 - 6 11 1Graham, Gonzalez (5), Smith (7) and Simioli; Wayne, Sager (7), Rich (9) and Alvarado. WP - Gonzalez (1-0). LP - Wayne (0-1). SV - Smith (1). 2B - Fanconi (FSU), Alvarado (STAN). 3B - Muth (STAN).
Records - Fresno State 1-1, Stanford 1-1.