Feb. 8, 2002
Tallahassee, Fla. - No. 1 Stanford (3-1) scored seven times in the top of the first inning and cruised to a 9-3 victory over No. 6 Florida State (6-2) in the first game of a three-game series at Dick Howser Stadium on Friday. The win was Stanford's fourth straight over the Seminoles dating back to last season. Jeremy Guthrie (2-0) picked up his second consecutive victory, scattering seven hits and three runs (two earned) over the first 6.0 innings.
"When you score seven runs in the first inning and have Jeremy Guthrie going, you have a good chance to win," said Stanford head coach Marquess.
Andy Topham (2-3, 2B, SB, 3 RBI) and Donny Lucy (2-3, SB, 3 RBI) both had a pair of hits and three RBI to lead Stanford's 13-hit attack as five Cardinal players had two hits each and eight of nine starters had at least one hit. Carlos Quentin (2-5, 2 RBI), Brian Hall (2-5, 2 SB) and Scott Dragicevich (2-5) also had two hits apiece. Dragicevich recorded his fourth straight multiple-hit game of the season.
Stanford chased Florida State ace and losing pitcher Blair Varnes (0-1) only seven batters into the game in the top of the first inning with five singles and a hit batsmen. The Cardinal loaded the bases on singles by Chris O'Riordan and Sam Fuld before Ryan Garko was hit by a pitch. With one out, Quentin drove in the first two Stanford runs of the game with a two-RBI single. The third run scored on an error by Seminole leftfielder Tony McQuade after Brian Hall's single and Lucy drove home a pair of runs with a two-RBI single to make the score 5-0. Dragicevich greeted reliever Daniel Davidson with a single and Topham followed with a two-RBI double to complete the rally.
Florida State scored twice off Guthrie in the bottom of the second inning by leading off the frame with four consecutive singles, the final two RBI-singles by McQuade and Bryan Zech. However, Guthrie struck out Scott Toole for the first out of the inning and got out of the jam when he forced leadoff hitter Kevin Richmond into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.
The Cardinal scored its final two runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning on four consecutive singles by Hall, Lucy, Dragicevich and Topham. Lucy and Topham both drove in runs with their singles.
Florida State scored one run in the bottom of the seventh inning for the game's final tally. Guthrie walked McQuade and Zech to lead off the inning before Stanford reliever Ryan McCally came on to stop the rally. McCally allowed a single to Toole to load the bases before forcing Richmond into his second double play of the day and retiring Richie Smith for the final out of the inning.
McCally was credited with his second save by of the season by holding the Seminoles scoreless over the final 3.0 innings, allowing just two hits.
McQuade (2-3, RBI) and Toole (2-3) both had a pair of hits for Florida State.
The Cardinal had a season-high four stolen bases and turned a season-high-tying three double plays.
Stanford and Florida State continue the three-game series on Saturday (2 pm, ET) before concluding the set Sunday (1 pm, ET).