Jan. 26, 2001
Fresno, Calif. - #14 Stanford (1-1) scored seven times in the top of the first inning and held on for an 11-9 victory over Fresno State (0-1) in an NCAA baseball game at Beiden Field. The Cardinal scored four times in the top of the first before losing pitcher Beau Hintz (0-1) could record an out as sophomore Jason Cooper's two-run homer followed a two-RBI double by junior Andy Topham to give Stanford a 4-0 advantage. Freshman Carlos Quentin closed out the scoring in the top of the first with a three-run homer off the top of the scoreboard in his first collegiate at bat to put Stanford ahead 7-0.
Quentin (2-4, HR, 3 RBI) was one of four Cardinal hitters to hit home runs. He was joined by Cooper (2-5, HR, 2 RBI), junior Scott Dragicevich (2-4, HR, RBI) and freshman Brian Hall (1-4, HR, RBI).
"The seven runs in the first inning were obviously the difference in the game," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess, who recorded his 996th career victory while coaching in his 1500th collegiate game. "This was a very well played game."
Junior Mike Wodnicki (1-0) picked up the victory with 3.2 innings of relief, scattering four hits and two runs. Wodnicki improved his all-time record at Stanford to 8-0. Freshman John Hudgins closed out the game and earned his first collegiate save by retiring all three batters he faced after relieving Wodnicki with no outs and runners on second and third in the bottom of the ninth.
Fresno's offense was led by junior Brandon Gemoll, who hit a pair of runs and recorded six RBI. Gemoll's first homer was a two-run shot to highlight a four-run Bulldog third inning. He followed with a three-run blast in the bottom of the fifth to close the Cardinal lead to 8-7. Gemoll also had an RBI in the Bulldog's two-run ninth when junior Tom Creighton scored on his ground ball. Senior Josh Labandeira was 4-for-5 with a double, triple and two RBI. Nick Garcia had Fresno State's other RBI on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.
Junior Beau Hintz was tagged with the loss, allowing seven runs (four earned) while recording only two outs in the top of the first inning. Junior Bob Runyon pitched 7.1 innings of middle relief, giving up only five hits and three runs to keep the Bulldogs in the game.
Stanford and Fresno State will continue their three-game non-conference series with single games on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) and Sunday (Noon).