Feb. 4, 2001
Fullerton, Calif. - Stanford's Jason VanMeetren and Jason Cooper hitback-to-back home runs with two outs in the top of the sixth inning to breakup a scoreless pitching dual and lead Stanford to a 3-0 victory over CalState Fullerton in an NCAA baseball game on Sunday at Goodwin Field. TimCunningham (2-0) picked up the victory, shutting out the Titans on justthree hits over the first 6.2 innings. Mike Wodnicki earned his firstcollegiate save by preserving Stanford's first shutout of the season with2.1 innings of scoreless relief work. Stanford improves to 4-3 on theseason, while Cal State Fullerton drops to 1-3. Stanford, which lost theseries opener on Friday night, has now won eight consecutive regular seasonseries dating back to last season. Stanford head coach Mark Marquess pickedup his 999th career victory, all at Stanford.
"These were three pretty good games and a pretty well played series for thisearly in the year," said Marquess. "This series shows you were you need tobe. When you win games against Cal State Fullerton you have earned the wins."
"Tim Cunningham did an excellent job for us today," added Marquess. "He hadgood command of everything today."
Stanford's Arik VanZandt tied a career-high for hits with a 3-for-4 (2B, SB)performance and was the only player for either team with more than one hit.
Cunningham and Cal State Fullerton preseason All-American Kirk Saarloos wereentangled in a classic scoreless pitching dual until two outs in the top ofthe sixth inning when VanMeetren blasted a 2-1 pitch over the left fieldwall for the first score of the game. Cooper followed two pitches later witha mammoth home run to center field. Saarloos (0-2) was tagged with hissecond consecutive defeat of the season after taking the loss in the Titans'season-opener at Pepperdine last Tuesday.
"My fastball was working well for me today," said Cunningham about hisperformance. "I didn't really have to go to my breaking ball that much."
The Cardinal added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on an RBIsingle by Carlos Quentin that drove home VanZandt, who had singled to leadoff the inning.
Cal State Fullerton put only one runner in scoring position during thecontest as Kyle Boyer walked with two outs and eventually reached secondbase in the seventh inning before Wodnicki retired the final out of theinning on Shawn Norris' soft line drive to Chris O'Riordan at second base.
Stanford will next be in action when the Cardinal hosts #7 Florida State ina three-game series at the newly remodeled Sunken Diamond February 9-11 (6pm, 1 pm, 1 pm). The series will serve as the Stanford's 2001 home opener.