June 6, 2005
Box Score | Notes | All-Tournament Team
Waco, Tex. - Jeff Mandel's first career homer to lead off the top of the 12th inning lifted No. 8 Baylor (42-21) to a dramatic 4-3 victory in 12 innings over Stanford (34-25) in the first championship game of the NCAA Waco Regional on Monday at Baylor Ballpark. Mandel also earned the victory on the mound by allowing just two hits in 3.0 scoreless innings of relief. Baylor had trailed 3-2 before Seth Fortenberry's one-out solo homer in the top of the ninth tied the game at 3-3 and sent the contest into extra innings.
"This was a great college baseball game today," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess. "I would like to congratulate a great Baylor team that I think will do very well in the Super Regional. They played very well and deserved to win. They came up with the big hits and the big pitches when they needed it."
Stanford starter Greg Reynolds (2-3) took the loss despite striking out a career-high 10 batters in an 11.0 inning outing that was the longest of his career. Reynolds scattered 10 hits and four runs, while walking just one.
"I'm very proud of the way Greg Reynolds pitched today," commented Marquess.
"I just wanted to give my team a chance to win, and I think I did that for the most part," added Reynolds. "I don't think I ever tried so hard to do anything in my life, but there were a couple of mistakes that cost me."
Stanford loaded the bases in the bottom of the 12th inning on back-to-back one-out singles by Michael Taylor and John Hester, as well as stolen bases by pinch-runner Cameron Matthews and Hester before the Bears intentionally walked Jim Rapoport, but Ryan LaMotta struck out Ben Summerhays to end the game and earn his sixth save of the season.
Chris Lewis (2-5, HR, 2 RBI) and Jed Lowrie (2-6, HR, RBI) accounted for all three Stanford runs with a two-run homer and a solo shot, respectively. Taylor (3-6, SB) and Hester (3-6, 2B, SB) had three hits each for the Cardinal, while Chris Minaker (2-6) added a multiple-hit contest.
Stanford outhit Baylor, 14-10, but left a season-high-tying 15 runners on base compared to just seven for the Bears. In addition to the 12th inning, the Cardinal also left the bases loaded in the fourth and eighth frames, while stranding a pair of runners in the ninth.
Michael Griffin (3-6, 2B), Fortenberry (2-5, 2B, HR, RBI) and Paul Witt (2-5, RBI) had multiple-hit games for Baylor.
The Cardinal got on the scoreboard first, taking a 1-0 lead when Lowrie homered over the left field wall with one out in the bottom of the fourth.
Baylor responded with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a brief 2-1 lead. Fortenberry led off the frame with a double and advanced to third on a fielders choice sacrifice bunt by Mandel. Reynolds had a play on Fortenberry at third on the play but bounced his throw in front of Cardinal third baseman Adam Sorgi to leave both runners safe. Witt then tied the game when he beat out a bunt for an RBI single before Griffin followed with a single to move Witt to second. Chase Gerdes then hit a little roller just in front of the plate on the next play and was thrown out at first by Hester but Witt came all the way around from second base to score, just beating a throw from Cardinal first baseman John Mayberry, Jr. by sliding around the tag of Reynolds, who was covering home after Hester came out of the catchers' box to field the ball.
Lewis returned the lead to the Cardinal an inning later when he followed a one-out double by Hester with his two-run homer down the left field line.
Reynolds allowed just two singles and one hit batsmen from the start of the sixth until Fortenberry's game-tying homer with one out in the ninth.
Erik Davis gave the Cardinal a chance in the bottom of the 12th inning by retiring all three batters he faced in the top of the frame with one strikeout after he relieved Reynolds following Mandel's game-winning blast.
Baylor starter Cory VanAllen (7.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO) received no-decision, while Tyler Bullock (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) got a pair outs to get the Bears out of an eighth inning jam.Stanford's season ended with a loss in a Regional championship game for the second consecutive year.
2005 NCAA WACO REGIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Most Outstanding Player - Paul Witt (Baylor)
C - John Hester (Stanford)
DH - Jeff Mandel (Baylor)
1B - John Mayberry, Jr. (Stanford)
2B - Michael Griffin (Baylor)
3B - Adam Sorgi (Stanford)
SS - Paul Witt (Baylor)
OF - Seth Fortenberry (Baylor)
OF - Bo Cogbill (TCU)
OF - Chase Gerdes (Baylor)
OF - Chris Lewis (Stanford)
P - Lance Broadway (TCU)
P - Matt Manship (Stanford)
STANFORD NOTES
Greg Reynolds' 11.0 innings pitched and 10 strikeouts were both career-highs
Stanford's season ended with a loss in a Regional championship game for the second consecutive year
Stanford's updated all-time postseason record is 117-58 (.669), while its all-time regional record fell to 65-25 (.722)
Chris Minaker finished the season with 25 doubles to rank in sole possession of second-place on Stanford's all-time single-season list in that category, ranking just four behind school record holder Troy Paulsen's 29 two-baggers in 1990
Matt Manship finished the season with 17 career saves, ranking him tied for second on Stanford's all-time list with Scott Weiss (17, 1988-91)
Mark Romanczuk finished the season with 28 career wins and 329.1 career innings pitched to rank tied for sixth and eighth on Stanford's all-time lists in those categories
Nolan Gallagher finished the season with a 9.76 strikeouts per nine innings mark that ranks him eighth on Stanford's all-time list
John Hester tied a career-high with his three hits on Monday
Stanford made two errors Monday to drop its fielding percentage one point to .977, equaling the school record set by the 2001 club
Stanford's pitching staff finished the season with a 3.77 ERA to record an ERA under 4.00 for the fourth time in the last six campaigns
Stanford had five players - Jed Lowrie (2B), Chris Lewis (LF/RF), John Mayberry, Jr. (1B), Chris Minaker (SS) and Adam Sorgi (3B) - start all 59 of the team's games in 2005 with Mayberry and Minaker playing every inning of the season at their respective positions
Stanford head coach Mark Marquess finishes the season with an updated career record of 1224-590-5 (.674), ranking him eighth on the victory list for current active Division I coaches and 15th-place on the all-time list
Stanford posted its 12th straight winning season and 30-victory campaign in 2005
Stanford came from behind in 14 of its 34 victories
Stanford had nine games postponed due to weather
Stanford had a tough time in close games and extra innings, going just 8-11 in one-run games, 2-6 in two-run contests and 0-4 in extra inning affairs