June 4, 1999
STANFORD, Calif. - Jeff Rizzo's one-out RBI double in the bottom of the sixth scored Eric Bruntlett with the winning run as Stanford defeated USC, 1-0, in the first game of NCAA Super Regional action on Friday night. The shutout by Stanford marked the first time that USC went scoreless since a 1-0 loss to the Cardinal on April 3rd of last season. With the win, the Cardinal(47-13) now only needs to beat USC(36-25) once over the next two days to advance to the College World Series.
It was a pitcher's dual from the start as neither team had a batter reach base through the first three innings. With two outs in the fourth, USC broke that streak on a single by senior Jason Lane. That base hit was eventually followed by consecutive singles from Eric Munson and Dominic Correa, but the Trojans would go on to leave the bases loaded as Brad Ticehurst struck out to end the inning.
Over the next two innings, USC had its chances as the Trojans would get two hits in both the fifth and sixth. Each time, however, USC left the runners in scoring position and the game remained scoreless.
That drought from USC is all Stanford would need as the Cardinal recorded the only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth. Bruntlett led off the inning with a blooper to center field that was lost in the lights and broke Barry Zito's no-hitter. One out later, Rizzo's double down the left field line scored Bruntlett with the game-winning run.
On the night, the pitchers from both teams were brilliant. Stanford's Jason Young (11-3) took the win as he scattered eight hits and walked just one while striking out 10 during his ninth complete game of the year. In addition, Young now has 161 strikeouts on the season, breaking the mark of 156 that was set by Kyle Peterson in 1997. Zito (12-3) took the loss for USC even though struck out eight and limited Stanford to no hits through the first five innings.
USC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 8 0 Stanford 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 x - 1 2 0
WP - Young 11-3 LP - Zito 12-3 2B - Rizzo, Bruntlett (STAN) Battery: Zito and Munson. Young and Alvarado.
Postgame Quotes
USC HEAD COACH MIKE GILLESPIE
"I'd be stating the obvious, but this was definitely two of the best pitchers in the country, pitching like two of the best pitchers in the country.
"I'm proud and impressed with Barry (Zito), he was sensational and certainly (Jason) Young was outstanding. I liked our at bats but we had tough at bats."
(On tomorrow's game)
"I look for it to be another dogfight tomorrow. It'll be a battle."
LHP BARRY ZITO
(On giving up the game winning double)
"It is always tough at dusk. The ball is hard to pick up. I wanted to battle back, but gave up the double to (Jeff) Rizzo."
"That was probably one of the most competitive games I've pitched this year. A 0-0 game is the toughest to pitch. Not a lot of pitchers can win with one run, but (Jason) Young is a guy that can hold us down - he's a good pitcher."
STANFORD HEAD COACH MARK MARQUESS
"That was an unbelievable college baseball game. All the talk about offense this year, the aluminum bats, but good pitching will dominate good hitting. That was a great pitching performance by both Zito and Young. It was a tough game for anyone to lose. They both pitched a great game. I didn't know if we would get a hit, let alone a run. We played great defense and obviously got a big hit from Rizzo.
On the significance of winning game one:
"We only have one more to win. We've played these guys too much - there won't be a letdown for us. I'd much rather win the first than lose it, but we still have to battle tomorrow."
Pitcher JASON YOUNG
Did you think Ticehurst's ball (in the ninth inning) was a home run? "Um. . . yes. It's breaks like that that make a championship team."
On his overall performance:
"I knew Zito would come out and do his job. I had to do my job and not worry if we were going to hit. I just had to do my thing."
2B JEFF RIZZO
On his run-scoring double
"None of that would have happened if Eric (Bruntlett) didn't hustle to second on the ball that dropped in, and Billy (Jacobson) bunted him over. Once that happens it's my job to get him in."