Feb. 15, 2002
Fresno, Calif. - Jeremy Guthrie won his eighth consecutive decision dating back to last year and Carlos Quentin (4-4, 2B) tied a career-high with four hits to lead No. 1 Stanford (6-2) to a 6-2 victory over Fresno State (3-4) in a non-conference game on Friday at Beiden Field. Guthrie improved to 3-0 this year by scattering two runs and nine hits over the first 7.0 innings. Ryan McCally pitched the final 2.0 scoreless innings and struck out three batters to secure the victory as he remained unscored upon in 8.0 innings this season. Stanford wins for the fourth time in its last five games.
"I have some good memories here in Fresno," said Quentin, who homered in his first collegiate at bat in Fresno last season. "I'm really not trying to do to much at the plate. I'm just going to settle for hitting the ball somewhere, relax and keep the stroke nice and compact."Quentin now leads the club with a .480 batting average.
Scott Dragicevich (2-4, RBI) tallied his seventh multiple-hit game of the season, while Donny Lucy (2-4, RBI) and Ryan Garko (2-5, RBI) also had a couple of hits for the Cardinal.Stanford opened the game's scoring with a single run in the second inning when Dragicevich singled home Quentin with two outs.
The Cardinal extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the third inning, scoring a pair of runs after Garko started a two-out rally with a bloop single down the right field line. The Cardinal loaded the bases on walks to Jason Cooper and Quentin before Garko scored on a wild pitch. Cooper scored when Bulldog third baseman Casey McGehee made a two-out error on a ground ball by Lucy but Quentin was cut down at the plate on the play on a strong throw by Bulldog leftfielder Jordan Prieto.
Fresno State scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning on McGehee's solo homer to left field, his first longball of the season.
Stanford got the run back in the top of the fifth inning. Sam Fuld led off with a double, advanced to third on Garko's foul out to right field and scored when Bulldog shortstop Chris Patrick's relay throw hit him in the back and bounced into left field.
The Cardinal extended its lead to 6-1 with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning. Chris O'Riordan led off the inning with a double and scored on a one-out RBI single by Garko, who would eventually come around to score on Lucy's two-out RBI single that chased Bulldog starting pitcher and loser Bob Runyon (1-2).
Runyon gave up six runs (five earned) and 11 hits in 6.2 innings.
Fresno State scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a solo homer by Patrick. The Bulldogs threatened again later in the inning, putting runners on first and third base before Guthrie retired McGehee on fly ball to rightfielder Brian Hall for the final out of the inning.Tobey Riday-White (2-4), Brendon Suga (2-4) and Carl Lipsey (2-5) had two hits each for the Bulldogs.
Stanford and Fresno State will continue their current series on Saturday and Sunday with starts scheduled for 1:05 p.m. both days.