March 19, 2000
Stanford, Calif. - Edmund Muth hit two home runs for the first time in his career while Joe Borchard homered and drove in five runs to lead #2 Stanford (16-6) to an 11-4 non-conference win over #12 USC (14-9) on Sunday at Sunken Diamond. The Cardinal won two of the three games in the series. Muth, who now leads the team with six home runs this season, hit two-run homers in both the first and fourth innings. Borchard had a two-run shot in the third and then had a rare three-RBI single in the sixth on a two-out 3-2 count with the runners moving on the pitch.
"It feels good for the whole team to get the bats going," said Muth following the game. "We were struggling early in the season, but I think the recent week off we had helped. I hope it stays contagious."
Stanford reliever Mike Gosling (1-1) struck out a career-high 12 batters and held the Trojans scoreless on just two hits over the final 6.2 innings to record the win. The 12 strikeouts equaled the most by a Cardinal pitcher this season. Gosling entered the game in the third inning with the score tied at 4-4. Gosling's season ERA dipped under a single run and is now at 0.98 as he has given up only three runs (and 10 hits) in 27.2 innings. He also has 38 strikeouts this year.
"I think that was the best control I have had all season," stated Gosling, who has walked 20 batters in 27.2 innings this season but had just one today. "I was staying focused on the mitt and not letting my mind wander."
Gosling retired 17 of the last 18 batters he faced after giving up a pair of harmless singles in the fourth inning. He struck out the side in the sixth and had two or more strikeouts in four separate innings.
"Obviously the offensive performances by Edmund (Muth) and Joe (Borchard) were key," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess following the game. "I was really pleased with our offensive performance. We are starting to swing the bats better."
"We also had an outstanding pitching performance from Mike Gosling," Marquess continued. "He's pitched well all year, but he was really zeroed in today. He was in a good rhythm. That was his best performance he's had at Stanford."
USC scored first in today's game when Beau Craig hit his eighth home run of the season, a two-run blast off Cardinal starter Brian Sager in the first inning. Stanford rallied to tie the game at 2-2 on Muth's two-run homer in the bottom of the first.
USC regained the lead at 4-2 with a pair of runs on three doubles in the third to chase Sager. Anthony Lunetta led off the inning with a two-bagger. Rob Garibaldi drove in Lunetta with a double before coming around to score on Justin Gemoll's double.
Once again, Stanford rebounded immediately as Borchard's two-run homer in the bottom of the third tied the game at 4-4.
The Cardinal took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Chris O'Riordan scored on an RBI-ground out by Eric Bruntlett to put Stanford ahead 5-4. Muth then blasted his second two-run shot of the day to give Stanford a 7-4 lead.
Borchard's three-RBI single in the sixth put the Cardinal ahead 10-4 before Bruntlett singled home Craig Thompson for an insurance run in the eighth.
"The whole weekend was a lot better for me than it has been so far early this year," said Borchard, who hit .455 (5-for-11) with a double, home run and five RBI in the weekend series.
"I'm happy when I can be productive offensively and help the club win."Billy Jacobson (2-for-4) and O'Riordan (2-for-4) also had multiple-hit days for the Cardinal. Garibaldi (2-for-3, 2B) was the only Trojan with more than one hit.
USC's Anthony Reyes (2-3) suffered the loss, surrendering nine runs (seven earned) and eight hits over 5.1 innings.
Stanford will travel to Saint Mary's for a non-conference game this Tuesday, March 21 (2:00 p.m.). The Cardinal opens its Pac-10 schedule next Friday (6:00 p.m.) by hosting Arizona in the first game of a three-game set.