March 25, 2005
Stanford, Calif. - A three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning by No. 12 Stanford (13-8) fell just short in a 4-3 non-conference loss to Sacramento State (8-15-1) in the first game of a home-and-home series between the teams Friday at Sunken Diamond. Sacramento State reliever Marshall Plouffe struck out Chris Minaker to end the contest and earn his first save of the season, leaving the tying run stranded at second base. Hornet starter Ethan Katz (2-5) earned the victory, shutting the Cardinal out for the first eight innings before being removed after allowing a walk and a single to the first two Stanford batters in the ninth inning.
Katz, who also beat the Cardinal last season, ended up with two runs, three hits, four walks and seven strikeouts in his final pitching line.
Sacramento State scored three times in the fifth inning on a two-RBI single by Josh Levin and an RBI single by Brett Flowers, who also drove in the other Hornet run with an RBI groundout in the first frame.
Levin (2-3, 2 RBI) and teammate Matt Wilson (2-3) were the only players on either club with more than one hit.
Adam Sorgi had one of Stanford's three hits and drove in a run for the Cardinal during the ninth inning rally with a sacrifice fly. John Hester and Michael Taylor had the other two hits for Stanford, which was held to a season-low-tying three hits for the third time this season. Ben Summerhays and Rapoport were credited with RBI's in the Cardinal ninth on a bases loaded walk and a run-scoring fielders choice.
Stanford starter Mark Romanczuk (4-3) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 7.0 frames. Erik Davis pitched two hitless innings of scoreless relief for the Cardinal, striking out two and walking one.
Sacramento State got on the board in the top of the first inning to take a quick 1-0 lead. Jim Strombach and Wilson led off the game with back-to-back singles before Levin moved the runners up a base and Flowers brought home Strombach with his RBI groundout.
The score remained 1-0 in favor of Sacramento State until the Hornets scored three times in the fifth to take a commanding 4-0 advantage. David Flores doubled to lead off the inning and Everet Rincon beat out an infield single to give the Sacramento State runners on first and second base with no outs. A sacrifice bunt attempt by Strombach failed when Flores was cut down at third but Romanczuk hit Wilson before the back-to-back to load the bases before the run scoring singles by Levin and Flowers.
Stanford had runners in scoring position in the first, fourth and sixth innings but needed its three-run ninth to avoid being shutout for the first time since Santa Clara blanked the Cardinal 2-0 at Sunken Diamond on May 29, 2003.
Hester drew a walk off to start Stanford's ninth and Taylor followed with a single to chase Katz. Warren Rosebrock walked the only batter he faced when he issued a free pass to Brendan Domaracki to load the bases. Plouffe then walked pinch-hitter Ben Summerhays to force home Hester with the first Cardinal run before he retired Rapoport on an RBI fielders choice as the Cardinal cut its deficit to 4-2. Sorgi lined out to left field for a sacrifice fly that scored Domaracki to bring the score to 4-3 before Rapoport stole second to move into scoring position for Minaker.
Stanford and Sacramento State are scheduled to conclude the abbreviated series in Sacramento on Saturday (2 pm, PT). Stanford is scheduled to pitch RHP Jeff Gilmore (3-1, 2.98) against Sacramento State LHP Matt Campbell (1-3, 3.60). The Hornets, who snapped a 10-game losing skid to Stanford at Sunken Diamond on Friday, have won two of the last three meetings between the clubs in Sacramento.
STANFORD NOTES
Stanford dropped to 11-3 at Sunken Diamond this season with its third loss in its last six games but is still 51-9 in its last 60 home games overall
John Mayberry, Jr. and Jim Rapoport (career-high) both had six-game hit streaks come to an end
Stanford's three-hit game marked the third time this season the Cardinal has been held to the season-low-tying number
Stanford played errorless baseball for the 12th time in 21 games this season and improved its fielding percentage to a .982 mark that is .005 percentage points better than the school record of .977 posted by the 2001 club
Stanford's pitching staff held opponents to fewer than 10 hits for the eighth time in the last 10 games