Feb. 16, 2003
Stanford, Calif. - No. 11 Stanford (6-5) completed a three-game sweep of Fresno State (1-6) with a 7-2 victory on Sunday at Sunken Diamond. Ryan McCally (1-1) pitched his first career complete game and the first by a Stanford pitcher this season, taking a shutout into the ninth inning before allowing a pair of runs. McCally gave up just six hits, while striking out five and not allowing a walk. Brian Hall hit his second home run of the season for the Cardinal. Tobin Swope (2-3, 2B, RBI) and Jed Lowrie (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI) had two hits each, while Chris Lewis drove in a pair of runs.
"That was a great pitching performance today by Ryan McCally," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess after earning his 1099th career victory to leave him one shy of becoming the 21st coach in the history of Division I baseball to win 1100 games. "This was a big win for us and great to get the sweep. We played good defense and came up with timely hitting."
McCally retired 17 consecutive batters at one point from one out in the third inning until a leadoff homer by Scott Beshears in the top of the ninth inning ended his shutout bid. The Bulldogs added another run when Ryan Haag doubled, moved to third on a groundout by Casey McGehee and scored on Brandon Esparza's RBI groundout.
"I was pretty focused today and found a good rhythm, especially in the second half of the game," said McCally, who won for the first time in four career starts. "Everything comes easy when you get into a groove and you don't really have to think about things too much."
Stanford scored the game's first run in the bottom of the third inning when Sam Fuld tripled home John Hester, who had drawn a two-out walk.
The Cardinal picked up two more runs in the bottom of the fourth frame to extend its lead to 3-0. Stanford loaded the bases with one out on a single by Ryan Garko, a walk to John Mayberry, Jr. and a base hit by Lowrie. Garko scored on a sacrifice fly by Lewis and Swope doubled home Mayberry.
Stanford added three more runs in the fifth. Hall's one-out solo homer put Stanford ahead 4-0 before Garko walked with two outs and Mayberry was hit by a pitch to set up a two-RBI double by Lowrie.
"It feels good to be able to contribute as a freshman in a program like this," said Lowrie, who raised his batting average to .304 by going 5-for-11 in the three-game series versus Fresno State.
Stanford scored its final run in the bottom of the seventh when Lowrie reached on a fielders choice and scored on a two-out RBI double by Lewis.
Stanford stranded nine baserunners, while Fresno State left just three on base.
Beshears (2-4, HR, RBI) was the only Fresno State player with more than one hit.
Fresno State starter Matt Garza (1-2) suffered the loss, allowing five runs and five hits over the first 4.2 innings.
Stanford moved above the .500 mark for the first time since the Cardinal was 2-1 after the first three games of the season, while Fresno State lost its sixth straight game.
Stanford concludes its current seven-game homestand by hosting Nevada on Monday, February 17 (1 pm, PT). Stanford is scheduled to start either RHP Drew Ehrlich (0-0, 0.00) or RHP Matt Manship (0-1, 9.64). Nevada has not announced a starting pitcher.