April 15, 2000
Stanford, Calif. - #5 Stanford (28-9, 8-3 Pac-10) moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Pac-10 with UCLA and Arizona State after a 7-2 victory over Washington (14-19, 3-8 Pac-10) on Saturday at Sunken Diamond. UCLA (7-2) is percentage points ahead of the Cardinal and the Sun Devils, both with 8-3 Pac-10 records. Stanford's victory extended its season-high win streak to seven games.
"Anybody can beat anybody on any given weekend," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess. "You have to win every game you can. This is a tough conference."
Stanford junior righthander Jason Young tossed his second complete game of the season to improve to 5-0. Young allowed just six hits and two runs (one earned) on his way to winning his 11th consecutive decision, dating back to the his final six decisions of 1999. Young has moved to within six straight victories of breaking the Pac-10's all-time record of 16 consecutive wins held by Washington State's John Olerud and current teammate Justin Wayne, who tied Olerud's record earlier this year.
"Jason was in command the entire game," said Marquess. "He pitched a great game today."
Stanford's offense was paced by John Gall, who finished 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Gall, who already holds Stanford's career RBI record, moved within striking distance of two other Cardinal career marks during today's game. Gall's three hits moves him to 329 career hits, just three away from breaking Paul Carey's record of 331. Gall's double was also the 66th of his career as he is just two from moving past school record holder Troy Paulsen (67). Gall is also making a run at Stanford's all-time record for batting average. His career average now stands at .364, which is .002 ahead of second place Jack Shepard. Gall also extended his season-high hitting streak to 11 games, two shy of his career-high 13-game hitting streak in 1998.
The Cardinal scored five runs in the bottom of the third after the first two batters in the inning were retired. Joe Borchard, who is also currently in spring football practice, had a two-RBI single with the bases loaded to break the ice and give the Cardinal a 2-0 advantage. Gall followed with an RBI single before Chris O'Riordan closed out the scoring with a two-RBI double.
"It's unusual to score five runs in an inning after the first two hitters are retired," added Marquess. "I can't remember the last time we have done that. We had some clutch hitting by a couple of different guys."
Washington rallied for a run in the top of the fourth when Tila Reynolds singled to lead off the inning and eventually came around to score on a throwing error by Stanford catcher Damien Alvarado.
The score remained 5-1 until the Cardinal scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. O'Riordan's RBI single brought home Borchard in the sixth, while Eric Bruntlett singled home pinch-runner Arik VanZandt with Stanford's final run of the game in the eighth.
Washington scored once in the ninth when Michael Done came across the plate with an unearned run on a double play ball hit by Duggan Moran.
O'Riordan (2-2, 2B, 3 RBI), Borchard (2-4, 2 RBI), Bruntlett (2-5, RBI) and Craig Thompson (2-5) added a pair of hits each for the Cardinal. O'Riordan continued his torrid hitting stretch which has seen him go 27-for-62 (.435) since the start of March, raising his average from .179 to .356 over the last 18 games. He has hit safely in 16 of those 18 contests.
Washington's Todd Linden (2-4) was the only Husky with more than one hit.
Husky starter Matt Massingale (3-5) suffered the loss as he allowed 12 hits and six runs over 6.2 innings.
Stanford and Washington are scheduled to conclude their three-game set on Sunday at Sunken Diamond (1:00 p.m.).