April 27, 2003
Stanford, Calif. - Arizona (30-16, 9-6 Pac-10) became the first opponent to win a Pac-10 series at Sunken Diamond since 1999 with an 11-6 victory over No. 4 Stanford (28-13, 10-5 Pac-10) in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday. The Wildcats jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, weathered a Stanford comeback that gave the Cardinal a brief 6-5 advantage and then scored the final six runs of the game. Stanford dropped into a first-place tie with Arizona State (42-9, 10-5 Pac-10) after the Sun Devils completed a three-game sweep with a 25-0 victory over Washington State on Sunday. Arizona and USC are both one game back of the leaders with 9-6 Pac-10 marks after the Trojans defeated Oregon State 12-2 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.
Three Stanford series win streaks were snapped on Sunday as the Cardinal had won its previous 15 Pac-10 home series, as well as eight straight overall series and eight consecutive in Pac-10 action. USC was the last team to defeat the Cardinal in a Pac-10 series at Sunken Diamond when the Trojans won two-of-three from April 16-18, 1999. Stanford's overall series win streak dated back to Florida State (February 7-9, 2003) and its Pac-10 series win streak extended back to Oregon State (April 26-28, 2002). Both the Seminoles and the Beavers took two-of-three against the Cardinal.
Arizona's series victory over Stanford was its first in the last 14 series between the clubs dating back to 1993 when the Wildcats took two-of-three from April 23-25.
"We didn't pitch very well in this series, but Arizona is a good offensive team," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess. "It was a little bit of a combination of both. If you don't play well on any given weekend in the Pac-10, you are going to lose."
John Hardy (4-4, HR, RBI, SB) had four hits and homered to pace a Wildcat offense that collected 17 hits, the most against the Stanford pitching staff this season. Derek Decater (3-4, 2B, 3 RBI) and Brad Boyer (3-5, 2B, RBI, 2 SB) added three hits each, while Brian Anderson (2-5, RBI, SB) and Trevor Crowe (2-5, 2B, SB) had two each.
Danny Putnam (2-4), Tobin Swope (2-4, RBI) and Carlos Quentin (2-5, 2B) each had two hits for Stanford as the Cardinal managed 10 hits as the club recorded its 20th double-digit hit game in the last 25 contests. Quentin hit safely for the 28th time in his last 29 games and has an updated Pac-10 leading season batting average of .430 that is equal to the Stanford single-season record posted by Tom Williams in 1971. Quentin's double was also his 21st of the season, which moves him into a tie for eighth-place on the school's single-season list in that category.
Kevin Guyette (3-3), the second of four Arizona pitchers, was credited with the win as he scattered one run and two hits over 2.1 innings.
Matt Manship (1-3), the second of five Stanford pitchers, suffered the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) with seven hits in 4.1 innings.
Arizona started the scoring in the top of the first inning when Decater doubled with two outs and came home on an RBI single by Anderson.
The Wildcats picked up four runs in the second to take a 5-0 lead. Crowe started the rally with a double, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Brown. Hardy restarted the rally with a single, stole second and scored on a double by Boyer. Boyer then stole third and Duran walked before an RBI single by Decater gave Arizona its third run of the inning and chased Stanford starter Ryan McCally (1.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO. Duran scored Arizona's final run of the frame when Manship balked before striking out Anderson to end the inning.
Stanford scored a run in the bottom of the second when Putnam led off with a single, Lowrie walked with one out and a two-out RBI single by Swope plated Putnam.
Stanford then came back with four more runs in the bottom of the third to tie the score at 5-5. Brian Hall walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a single by Quentin before he was forced out at third base on Ryan Garko's fielders choice. Putnam then walked to load the bases before the Cardinal scored three runs on the next play. Donny Lucy singled to left to score Quentin before Garko and Putnam also came around on the play when Decater misplayed the ball in left field as Lucy advanced to third for a two-base error. John Mayberry, Jr. then singled home Lucy to finish the rally.
Stanford took its only lead of the game at 6-5 by scoring once in the bottom of the fifth inning. Putnam singled with one out and scored on a two-out RBI double by Jed Lowrie.
Arizona regained a 7-6 advantage with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Hardy singled with one out, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out double by Duran before an RBI single by Decater brought Duran home.
The Wildcats scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the seventh to extend their lead to 9-6. Anderson reached on an error by Hall at third base to lead off the inning and scored on a triple by Jeff Van Houten that was the 43rd three-bagger by Arizona this season and gave the Wildcats a share of the Pac-10's single-season team record. Arizona got another run when Pat Reilly lined an RBI single off the knee of Stanford pitcher David O'Hagan with two outs to score Van Houten.
Arizona picked up its final two runs in the top of the eighth. Hardy led off the inning with a solo homer to left. Boyer then followed with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Decater's sacrifice fly.
Arizona relievers Derek Rodriguez (2.0 IP, 1 SO) and Mark Worrell (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) held the Cardinal scoreless over the final four innings.
Arizona added to its Pac-10 leading stolen base total with five.
Stanford next hosts Santa Clara in a non-conference game at Sunken Diamond on Tuesday, April 29 (6 pm) before beginning a season-long seven-game road trip with a key three-game Pac-10 series at USC next Friday-Sunday, May 2-4 (6 pm, 1 pm, 1 pm). The Cardinal is currently on a season-best seven-game road win streak.
"We'll need to pitch better if we hope to do well for the remainder of the Pac-10 schedule," concluded Marquess.