June 2, 2000
STANFORD, Calif. -- Nebraska scored two unearned runs in the third inning and made it stand for a 7-3 victory against Stanford in the first game of the Stanford Super Regional on Friday night. The Huskers won their eighth consecutive game and improved to 51-15 in front of 3,660 fans at Sunken Diamond, while the Cardinal saw their record drop to 45-15.
R.D. Spiehs picked up the victory in relief, allowing a pair of runs on six hits in 6.2 innings of work. He walked two and struck out three in improving to 8-2 for the season. It was Spieh's seventh relief win of the season. Starting pitcher Trevor Bullock allowed an unearned run on two hits in 2.1 innings pitched.
Stanford got on the board first, scoring an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning. Craig Thompson led off the frame with a single to center and Edmund Muth reached on two-base throwing error by Bullock one batter later. John Gall was then intentionally walked to load the bases and Joe Borchard followed with sacrifice fly to right field that scored Thompson.
Jamal Strong began the Husker third with a leadoff single to shortstop and advanced to second base on the first of three Cardinal errors in the inning. Adam Stern followed with a single to right field that plated Strong and advanced to third when the ball got past Borchard for a two-base error. Stern came home one batter later on Gall's throwing error to the plate.
The two squads each scored a run in the seventh and Nebraska added four insurance runs on only one hit in the eighth to put the game out of reach. Stanford plated a run in the ninth on Damien Alvarado's sixth home run of the season to complete the scoring.
Stern paced the Husker offense by going 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBIs. Strong added a pair of hits, scored twice and stole his 34th base of the season. Adam Shabala was 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.
Jason Young was charged with the loss and his winning streak was snapped at 14 games, two shy of the Pac-10 record. Young allowed seven runs (four earned) on five hits and six walks in 7.1 innings. His first five outs were strikeouts and he finished the game with seven punchouts. It was Young's first loss since April 16, 1999 (vs. USC). Ryan McCally relieved Young in the eighth and allowed a single and hit a batter in a third of an inning. Dan Rich shut out the Huskers over the final 1.1 innings, striking out three.
Thompson led the Cardinal offense with a 3-for-5 performance. The senior first baseman hit his 10th homer of the season, a solo shot in the seventh, and scored a pair of runs.
Stanford now must win the final two games of the Super Regional to advance to its fourth College World Series in the past six seasons. Right-hander Justin Wayne (13-3, 3.24 ERA) is slated to start for the Cardinal on Saturday afternoon. Nebraska's probable starter is left-hander Jamie Rodrigue (9-3, 2.53 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m..
R H E Nebraska 002 000 140 7 6 2 Stanford 100 000 101 3 8 4
Batteries: Nebraska - Bullock, Spiehs (3) and Cowan. Stanford - Young,
McCally (8), Rich (8) and Alvarado.
2B - Shabala (11).
HR - Thompson (10), Alvarado (6).
WP - Spiehs (8-2).
LP - Young (8-1).
TOG - 2:56.
Attendance - 3,660
Updated Records - Nebraska (51-15), Stanford (45-15).