March 5, 2000
Stanford, Calif. - Second-ranked Stanford (14-5) completed a three-game sweep of Santa Clara (7-12) with an 8-3 victory over the Broncos in a non-conference game on Sunday at Sunken Diamond. The Cardinal, which has won seven of its last eight games, will be out of action for the next 11 days due to finals. Stanford's next game will be the opener of a three-game non-conference series versus USC on March 17 (6:00 p.m.) at Sunken Diamond.
Jason Young was impressive for the Cardinal on Sunday as he struck out a season-high nine batters, allowing only three hits and an unearned run to improve to 2-0 on the season. Young retired the final 10 batters he faced with six strikeouts in the stretch, striking out the side in the top of the sixth (his final inning).
Stanford's offense collected 11 hits, reaching the double-digit mark in hits for the second consecutive day. Five Stanford players - Eric Bruntlett (2-3, 2B), Damien Alvarado (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI), Chris O'Riordan (2-4), Edmund Muth (2-5, 2B, 2 RBI) and Billy Jacobson (2-5, 2 RBI) - had two hits each. John Hilvert (3-4) was the only Bronco with more than one hit.
"We scored some runs again today but the real good news was the pitching performance by Jason Young," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess following the game. "It's great to have him back healthy."
"I wanted to go out and set the tone for the team today," added Young, who has returned to the regular starting rotation after missing two starts due to a sore right shoulder. "I was able to do that pretty well."
For the second consecutive game, the Cardinal was fueled offensively by a big inning with a five-spot in the eighth. Stanford led just 3-1 before Craig Thompson's two-run homer with one out in the eighth gave the Cardinal a 5-1 advantage. Stanford later added runs in the frame on RBI-doubles by Alvarado and Jacobson, as well as an RBI-single by Muth.
"I was really just looking to put the ball in play," said Thompson about his two-strike homer.Thompson's home run was his fourth of the season, tying him for the team lead with Muth.
Santa Clara jumped out in front of today's game with an unearned run off Young in the second inning. Chris Jakubauskas singled home Jack Headley, who had reached on a throwing error by Stanford third baseman John Gall after two were out.
The Cardinal responded and took its first lead of the game with a pair of runs in the fourth on RBI-singles by Alvarado and Jacobson. Stanford made the score 3-1 on an RBI-double by Muth in the seventh before the five-run eighth.
Santa Clara closed out the scoring with a pair of runs off Jason Luker in the top of the ninth inning on an RBI-groundout by Jakubauskas and an RBI-single from Mike Balestreri.
Protecting a slim 3-1 lead, Luker had pitched the Cardinal out of jam in the eighth inning when he relieved Mike Gosling with no outs and runners on first and second base. Luker made an outstanding play on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Eliot Wheeler, picking up the bunt and throwing to third to put out lead runner Balestreri. Luker then struck out pinch hitter Matt Miller and cleanup hitter Travis Hinton to end the Bronco threat.
Stanford's four pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts.