May 2, 2006
Complete Recap in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Stanford, Calif. - Stanford (20-20) scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally for a 6-2 victory over San Jose State (30-18) in a non-conference contest on a warm Tuesday evening at Sunken Diamond. Brent Milleville's one-out RBI single in the eighth snapped a 2-2 tie, scoring Ryan Seawell with the eventual game-winning run. The Cardinal scored another run in the ninth on an errant throw by Spartan rightfielder Chris Balatico before Chris Minaker capped the dramatic rally with a two-RBI single up the middle.
"It's a cliché that you have to win one game at a time, but we're at the point where we really do because every game matters," said Minaker. "Hopefully we can put it together for the last few weeks and let the chips fall where they may."
"We just want to put together good games," added Stanford head coach Marquess. "We just want to play good defensive, swing the bats and pitch well. Tonight, we were able to do that in a well-played game by both teams."
Minaker (2-4, HR, 3 RBI) also hit his team-high sixth homer with a solo shot in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1 and continued his hot hitting by extending his hit streak to 10 games. Seawell (2-3) added a pair of hits for the Cardinal to increase his hit streak to a career-high-tying games and has hit safely for the 10th time in his last 11 contests. Jim Rapoport drove in the other Cardinal run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning that scored Milleville, who had reached second base on an error to start the inning when his long fly ball to the warning track in leftcenter field was dropped by Spartan left fielder Chris Williammee and moved to third on Brian Juhl's sacrifice bunt. Rapoport also had a single in the eighth inning rally that loaded the bases and preceded Balatico's throwing error that allowed pinch-runner J.J. Jelmini to score.
Sean Ratliff (2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 SO) shut the Spartans out after coming into the game in the seventh inning to improve to 2-0 on the season. Blake Holler (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) and Austin Yount (1.1 IP, 1 BB) also pitched in relief of starter Jeremy Bleich (3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO).
"I've always wanted to be the guy to be in that type of situation in a tight spot," said Ratliff. "It's a big boost of confidence to know that coach Marquess will go to me in that type of situation, and I'm glad I can get it done."
San Jose State took an early 1-0 lead on a two-out double in the top of the first inning by Greg Fyfe that brought home David Pierson, who had reached on a one-out walk two batters earlier.
After Minaker's solo homer with two outs in the fourth tied the contest at 1-1, the Spartans went back in front in the fifth when Sam Hall led off with a triple into the rightcenter field gap and scored on a wild pitch by Holler.
Brad Hennessey (2-3), the eighth of nine San Jose State pitchers used in the contest, took the loss by giving up three runs on two hits and a walk while getting only one out in the eighth.
The Spartans, ranked third in the nation with a .979 fielding percentage coming into the game, made a pair of costly errors that led to a pair of unearned Stanford errors. Stanford was errorless in the field, snapping a string of 11 consecutive contests with at least one miscue.
San Jose State did not have a player with a multiple-hit or multiple-RBI contest.
Stanford will next host California in a three-game Pac-10 series at Sunken Diamond this Friday-Sunday, May 5-7 (6 pm, 4 pm, 1 pm, PT).
The first two games of the Stanford-California series will be televised live with Friday night's game airing on Comcast Sports Net and Saturday's contest on Fox Sports Net Bay Area. There will also be promotions for the final two contests of the series. On Saturday, the "All-Time Starting 9" as voted upon by fans throughout the 2006 season will be announced and the first 2000 people through the gate will receive limited edition "All-Time Starting 9" trading cards. The annual Little League Day will be held in conjunction with Sunday's contest.