Feb. 19, 2000
Stanford, Calif. - Jeff Ontiveros had a key eighth-inning RBI-double to lift #12 Texas (9-3) to a 3-2 comeback victory over #3 Stanford (7-4) in a non-conference game at Sunken Diamond on Saturday. With one out in the top of the eighth inning and the scored tied 2-2, Ontiveros lined a 2-2 pitch from reliever Mike Wodnicki into right center field to score Todd West with the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run. D.J. Jones (2-2) pitched eight strong innings to pick up the victory, scattering seven hits and a pair of runs. Charlie Thames worked a hitless ninth to earn his third save of the season.
"They got the big hit today," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess after the game, referring to the key eighth-inning double by Ontiveros. "It was a tight game all the way but they pitched a little better as well."
Stanford had broken a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fifth when Craig Thompson singled home Jason Cooper to give the Cardinal a 2-1 advantage. Cooper had tripled off the top of the right field fence to lead off the inning.
Texas tied the contest again at 2-2 in the top of the seventh. Chris Houser led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a single by Cory Covert, before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Sam Anderson.
Both teams scored single runs in the first inning as Texas opened the scoring when an RBI-ground out by Ontiveros scored Tommy Nicholson to give the Longhorns a 1-0 lead. Stanford answered back when Eric Bruntlett came across the plate on John Gall's dribbler that was mishandled by Jones for an error. Gall was credited with an RBI on the play.
Anderson (2-for-3) and Gall (2-for-4, 2 SB) were the only players for either team with more than one hit.
Stanford reliever Jeff Bruksch (2-1) suffered the loss, allowing three hits and a pair of runs in 4.1 innings.
West, who had a key steal prior to Ontiveros' double in the eighth inning, continued his amazing stolen base streak. The Yavapai College transfer is 59-for-59 on stolen base attempts in his collegiate baseball career. He is 6-for-6 this season at Texas after being successful in all 53 of his stolen base attempts at the junior college level.
Stanford and Texas will conclude their three-game series at Sunken Diamond on Sunday (1:00 p.m.).