Feb. 26, 2005
Stanford, Calif. - Jim Rapoport scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning when John Mayberry, Jr. beat out a potential inning-ending double play for an RBI fielders choice, lifting No. 13 Stanford (9-5) to a 4-3 win over No. 22 USC (4-2) in a non-conference game at Sunken Diamond on Saturday. Stanford improved to 8-0 at home this season and has won 46 of its last 52 games overall at Sunken Diamond, as well as 13 consecutive regular season three-game home series. The Cardinal has also now won seven consecutive three-game sets against USC.
Rapoport drew a leadoff walk to start Stanford's ninth and then beat a throw by USC first baseman Blake Sharpe on Michael Taylor's fielders choice sacrifice bunt to give the Cardinal runners at first and second with no outs. Chris Minaker advanced the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt before Jed Lowrie was intentionally walked to load the bases for Mayberry.
"As soon as I hit the ball on the ground, I just put my head down and ran," explained Mayberry about his game-winning RBI. "It's exciting to walk off the field with a win when you had the last at bat, whether it was a hit, a fielders choice, or whatever."
Minaker keyed a three-run Cardinal fifth inning with a two-RBI double before scoring when Lowrie followed with an RBI single.
USC's Billy Hart (3-4, 2B) was the only player for either team with more than one hit as each team picked up just six hits.
Blake Holler (3-0) won his third game out of the bullpen this season for the Cardinal, limiting the Trojans to a run and two hits with one strikeout over the final 3.0 innings.
"Blake has been very consistent every time he's pitched this year," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess, who won his 1199th collegiate game.
USC reliever Jack Spradlin (0-1) was charged with the loss. Spradlin (3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) got the Trojans out of a fifth inning jam when he came on with one out and the bases loaded and Adam Sorgi lined into an inning-ending double play. He then held the Cardinal scoreless for the next three frames but was removed from the game after walking Rapoport to lead off the bottom of the ninth. Paul Koss (0.2 IP, 1 BB) faced the final four Cardinal batters.
Stanford starter Jeff Gilmore (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) and USC starter Ian Kennedy (4.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 4 SO) were locked in a scoreless pitchers dual before USC finally broke the deadlock with a run in the top of the fifth. Matt Cusick's clutch two-out RBI single plated Zack Kalter, who had drawn a leadoff walked before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Roberto Lopez. Gilmore avoided bigger trouble when he got Jeff Clement to pop out to Sorgi at third base with the bases loaded to end the inning.
The Cardinal came right back with its three-run fifth after Kennedy had allowed only a Sorgi single through his first four innings of work. Chris Lewis singled to start the rally and was sacrificed to second by Rapoport. Michael Taylor then drew a walk to set up Minaker's two-run double before Lowrie's RBI single scored Minaker to cap the rally.
USC responded with a run in the sixth to cut the Cardinal lead to 3-2 when Hart led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI groundout from Lucas Duda.
The Trojans tied the game at 3-3 in the eighth when Hart singled with two outs and scored on an RBI double by pinch-hitter Baron Frost.Stanford and USC are scheduled to conclude the series on Sunday (1 pm, PT). Stanford is scheduled to send RHP Nolan Gallagher (0-1, 1.76) to the mound to face Trojan RHP Brett Bannister (1-0, 4.26).
STANFORD NOTES
Stanford improved to 8-0 at home this season and has a 46-6 record in its last 52 contests at Sunken Diamond
Stanford has now won 13 consecutive regular season three-game home series
Stanford extended its regular season series win streak over USC to seven
Stanford did not homer for the second consecutive game after homering 11 of its first 12
Blake Holler's picked up his third victory of the year to tie for the team and Pac-10 lead
Stanford head coach Mark Marquess won his 1199th career contest to move within one of the 1200-mark
Michael Taylor had his career-high hit streak snapped at six games
Stanford improved its season fielding percentage to .982 by playing errorless baseball for the eighth time in its first 14 games
Stanford's pitching staff has a 1.50 ERA and an opponents' batting average of .161 in the first two games of its current series
Stanford played in front of its largest home crowd of the season (2196)