May 24, 2000
NCAA DIVISION I BASEBALL REGIONAL (at Stanford, CA)
SCHEDULE OF GAMES
Friday, May 26
3:00 p.m. - #3 Nevada (37-17) vs. #2 Alabama (38-22)
7:00 p.m. - #4 Fresno State (40-19) at #1 Stanford (42-13)
Saturday, May 27
11:00 a.m. - Nevada/Alabama loser vs. Fresno State/Stanford loser
3:00 p.m. - Nevada/Alabama winner vs. Fresno State/Stanford winner
7:00 p.m. - Winner of 11:00 a.m. game vs. loser of 3:00 p.m. game
Sunday, May 28
1:00 p.m. - Championship game: Winner of Saturday's 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. games
5:00 p.m. - Championship game #2, if necessary (only played if both teams have one loss after 1:00 p.m. game)
All Stanford games to be broadcast on KZSU 90.1 FM and www.gostanford.com
A QUICK LOOK AT STANFORD
#3 Stanford (42-13) enters the NCAA Regional after having just won two-of-three games against UCLA to end in a three-way tie for the regular season Pac-10 title. The Cardinal opens the NCAA Regional by hosting Fresno State (40-19) in the first round. Stanford defeated the Bulldogs in the first two games of its season this year in Fresno (10-2, 7-1). The Cardinal pounded out 25 hits in those first two games as Edmund Muth was 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBI in the first game. Craig Thompson homered in the second game and was 3-for-5 with two RBI. A third scheduled game was rained out. Nevada (37-17) captured a 4-3 decision over the Cardinal at Sunken Diamond on February 7 to hand Stanford its first loss of the season and snap a 19-game Cardinal home win streak. The teams were rained out on May 16 in Reno. Stanford and Alabama have not played yet this season. Alabama did travel to a six-team NCAA Regional hosted by Stanford in 1998 and finished second but did not face the Cardinal.
2000 NCAA DIVISION I BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS INFORMATION
Stanford has been selected as a host site for the 2000 NCAA Division I Baseball Championships for the fifth straight season and the ninth time overall. The first weekend of play in the tournament features 16 regionals with the winners of each advancing to the NCAA Super Regionals on June 2-4 (Friday-Sunday). The eight Super Regional winners advance to the 54th College World Series to be held June 9-17 (Friday-Saturday) at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska.
Other regional sites include Arizona State, Baylor, Cal State Fullerton, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Houston, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana State, Miami, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Oklahoma (The Bricktown Ballpark at Oklahoma City), Rutgers (Yogi Berra Park at Montclair State University), South Carolina and Stanford. The eight Super Regional sites will be announced on Monday, May 29.
REMEMBER THOSE REGIONALS
Sunken Diamond has become a traditional site for NCAA Baseball Regional play on Memorial Day weekend. Stanford has won two of the last three regionals it has hosted on its way to the College World Series. In all, Stanford has won nine regionals (1982, `83, `85, `87, `88, `90, `95, `97, `99) and compiled a 48-19 all-time record in 17 appearances.
NCAA REGIONAL TICKETS
Tickets for the upcoming NCAA Regional at Stanford can be purchased by visiting the Stanford Ticket Office (Stanford Stadium, Gate 2) or calling 1-800-BEATCAL. All session passes are $35 for adults and $20 for children, seniors and students. Single game tickets (available beginning May 26) are $10 for adults and $6 for children, seniors and students.
STANFORD SERIES RECORDS VERSUS REGIONAL TEAMS
The Cardinal holds an all-time series lead over both Fresno State (61-44) and Nevada (11-7, since 1977). Stanford and Alabama have not met since at least 1977.
WAYNE CO-PITCHER OF THE YEAR ON ALL-PAC-10 TEAM
Justin Wayne, who finished the regular season with a 12-3 record and a 3.02 ERA to go with 128 strikeouts, has earned Pac-10 Co-Pitcher of the Year honors along with USC's Rik Currier. Wayne becomes the fifth Stanford player to have earned the honor in school history, following the selections of Dan Reed (1994), Kyle Peterson (1995, 1997) and Jeff Austin (1998). Wayne headlined an all-Pac-10 team that also featured third-time selection John Gall, as well as second-time choices Joe Borchard and Edmund Muth. Seven Stanford players -- Damien Alvarado, Jeff Bruksch, Eric Bruntlett, Mike Gosling, Chris O'Riordan, Craig Thompson and Jason Young -- earned honorable mention recogntion.
ATTENDANCE RECORD READY TO FALL ... AGAIN?
Stanford has set new regular season single-game Sunken Diamond attendance records during each of the team's last two home weekends. The Cardinal drew a then-record 3,722 spectators for a game versus California on April 29 and followed that performance by drawing a new record of 4,020 fans to the final Friday night game of the year versus UCLA. The all-time Sunken Diamond attendance record came when 4,172 fans witnessed the 1997 NCAA Regional Final between Stanford and Fresno State. Last year, Stanford's three NCAA Regional games drew a total of 10,219 spectators.
STANFORD FIRSTS
With its fourth straight Pac-10 title (1997 & 1998 Pac-10 Southern Division, 1999 & 2000 Pac-10), the Stanford baseball team has won four straight Pac-10 titles for the first time in school history. Also, the baseball title gave Stanford another first -- Pac-10 titles in football, men's basketball and baseball all in the same academic year.
HITTING REPORT
Stanford's batting average has risen to .308, the highest its been since the club's average stood at .329 following the second game of the year. The team's average has been at .300 or above since hitting the .300 mark following an April 29 game versus California. Stanford has tallied multiple-hits in four straight contests and 12 of its last 15 games, including a season-high 23 hits at USC (4/22). Stanford set a new season-high for runs scored in a 19-3 win over UCLA (5/20). Stanford's low point this season was .258 after a game versus Santa Clara (3/3). Stanford has scored double digit runs on 16 occasions and recorded double digit hits 32 times. Eight of Stanford's nine regular starters -- Chris O'Riordan (.363), Arik VanZandt (.361), Andy Topham (.353), John Gall (.347), Eric Bruntlett (.344), Craig Thompson (.339), Joe Borchard (.322) and Edmund Muth (.311) -- are hitting better than .310. Muth leads the team with career highs in homers (17) and RBI (67), as well as total bases (143) and slugging percentage (.644). He also co-leads the team with three triples. Bruntlett leads the team with career highs of 22 doubles, 45 walks and nine stolen bases, as well as a .466 on base percentage). Thompson and Gall co-lead the team with 77 hits each, while Thompson paces the club in runs scored (64).
PITCHING REPORT
The Cardinal pitching staff has been excellent for most of the season. Stanford leads the Pac-10 in pitching with a 3.73 ERA (#7 NCAA). Cardinal pitchers have given up just 401 hits and 204 earned runs in 492.0 innings, recording 495 strikeouts and allowing only 210 walks (2.36-1 ratio). All-American and Co-Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year Justin Wayne (12-3, 3.10) co-leads the Pac-10 in victories and ranks tied for sixth in the nation, while 1999 All-American Jason Young (7-0, 3.78) remains undefeated and has won 13 straight decisions dating back to 1999. Tim Cunningham (5-1, 3.00, 1 SV) picked up four Pac-10 victories, three as a starter and one in relief. Jeff Bruksch (4-4, 2.76, 10 SV) has become only the second player to ever record 10 or more saves on The Farm and is making a run at Stanford's save record of 13 in a season, currently held by Steve Chitren (1987). Mike Gosling (2-2, 3.29, 3 SV) has pitched well as a starter, middle reliever and occasional closer. He boasts 73 strikeouts in just 54.2 innings on the hill, ranking eighth in the NCAA with an average of 12.02 strikeouts per nine innings. Ryan McCally (1-0, 3.93, 1 SV) has begun to emerge from the bullpen as well lately as he has picked up both his first collegiate victory (4/30 vs. California) and his first collegiate save (5/7 at Oregon State) late in the Pac-10 season.
DEFENSIVE REPORT
Stanford's defense is picking up the pace again. The Cardinal did not committ an error in its series against UCLA, the first time the team has gone errorless in a Pac-10 series all season. In fact, Stanford has played flawlessly in five of its last six games and has only made two errors in a game once in its last 10 outings. Stanford started off the season playing excellent defense and was ranked as high as #2 in the nation at one point, committing just seven errors in its first 17 games and lifting its fielding percentage as high as .988. The team's current .973 fielding percentage ranks second in the Pac-10.
RECENT CARDINAL ACTION
Stanford closed out the regular season by winning 20 of its last 25 games and 10 of its last 12. Stanford captured two-of-three games in each of its last four league series versus UCLA (5/19-5/21), Oregon State (5/5-5/7), California (4/28-4/30) and USC (4/20-4/22). Stanford had swept Washington (4/14-4/16) and Washington State (4/7-4/9) prior to the USC series. The only Pac-10 series the team lost a series to all year was when the Cardinal dropped two-of-three at Arizona State (3/31-4/2). Stanford opened its Pac-10 slate by winning two-of-three over Arizona (3/24-3/26).
JOE BORCHARD AND CHRIS O'RIORDAN LEAD CARDINAL IN PAC-10
Joe Borchard led or co-led the Cardinal in Pac-10 games only in home runs (12), RBI (35), runs scored (32), total bases (78), bases on balls (20), on base percentage (.500) and slugging percentage (.830). Chris O'Riordan paced the club in both batting average (.398) and on base percentage (.500, tied with Borchard) during Pac-10 action, while Borchard ranked a close second with a .383 batting average.
STANFORD TRIO EACH REACH 60-RBI MARK
The Stanford trio of Edmund Muth, Joe Borchard and John Gall became the first trio of Stanford players to each reach the 60-RBI mark since Josh Hochesang (77), Jon Schaeffer (76) and Jody Gerut (63) accomplished the feat in 1997. Muth currently leads the team with a career-high 67 RBI, while Borchard (career-high 65) and Gall (61) follow closely behind. Next up for the trio is 70 RBI each.
STANFORD IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
Stanford dropped a spot to #3 in the Baseball America poll this week, while remaining at #2 in the Collegiate Baseball and USA Today Baseball Weekly polls for the third consecutive week. Georgia Tech is the new #1 team in the Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball polls, while South Carolina stays in the top spot in the USA Today Baseball Weekly poll. Stanford began the season at #1 in all three polls before dropping out of the top spot on February 14. The Cardinal fell as low as #7 on April 2 after losing two-of-three games at Arizona State. Stanford finished the 1999 campaign ranked #3 in all three polls. Stanford's poll history includes a run as the "king of the polls" in 1998 when the Cardinal held the top spot in the Baseball America poll for a record 14 consecutive weeks.
STANFORD'S MEMORABLE MOMENTS DURING THE 2000 SEASON
Following are just a few of the most memorable moments of Stanford's 2000 regular season ... A five-game winning streak to open the season, including a sweep of then #2 Cal State Fullerton ... Back-to-back homers by the unlikely duo of Billy Jacobson and Chris O'Riordan in the top of the 10th inning to beat Florida State ... Justin Wayne's first career shutout, a three hitter versus Santa Clara ... Justin Wayne's complete-game two-hitter to beat Arizona State, 5-1, in the opener of a three-game series ... Arik VanZandt's pinch-hit home run in his first at bat of the season versus Sacramento State and his subsequent stint as the team's starting designated hitter in which he posted a career-high 11-game hitting streak ... Jason Young's masterful 15-strikeout performance at Washington State ... Stanford's eight-game win streak from April 4-16 ... Stanford's annihilation of USC, 18-4, in the final game of a three-game series in Los Angeles ... Damien Alvarado's walk-off homer to beat California, 12-11, in the bottom of the ninth of a series finale... John Gall's career-high 20-game hit streak from 3/28-5/1 ... Stanford's two victories over UCLA in the final two games of the season which gave the Cardinal at least a share of its fourth straight Pac-10 (1999, 2000) or Pac-10 Southern Division (1997, 1998) title.
STANFORD BASEBALL HISTORY
Stanford's storied baseball program has had many highlights as the program is currently in its 107th season with an all-time record of 2220-1427-32 (.608). Just a few of the highlights have included back-to-back NCAA Championships (1987, 1988), 11 College World Series appearances, 17 conference titles and 20 NCAA Tournament berths. Stanford has boasted a total of 40 All-Americans who have earned a total of 46 All-American honors (includes Justin Wayne's recent selection this season). Stanford has also garnered three NCAA Player of the Year choices in Jeff Austin (1998), David McCarty (1991) and Steve Dunning (1970). Other numbers for the Cardinal baseball program include 93 all-conference players earning a total of 118 honors, 53 major league players (including 12 currently in Major League Baseball) and 10 first round draft picks in the last 13 years.