May 6, 2006
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Stanford, Calif. - California (24-23, 9-11 Pac-10) evened its three-game Pac-10 series against Stanford (21-21, 6-11 Pac-10) by holding on for a 5-1 victory on Saturday at Sunken Diamond. Tyson Ross (5-3) earned the victory by giving up just one run on six hits and three walks, while striking out eight over the first 7.1 innings. Jeremy Burchett came on to retire Michael Taylor on a game-ending a groundout with the bases loaded and Taylor representing the tying run to pick up his fifth save of the season.
Chris Errecart (2-3, 2 RBI) was the only California player with a multiple-hit or multiple-RBI game. Brennan Boesch, Rob Nesbitt and Mike Van Winden also drove in runs for the Golden Bears.
Chris Minaker (2-3) extended his hit streak to a new season-high 12 games for the Cardinal and moved to within one game of the career-best 13-gamer he posted in 2005. Chris Lewis drove in Stanford's lone run with a fourth inning RBI single.
Stanford starter Matt Leva (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts over the first 4.2 frames.
The squads combined for 12 walks and seven hit batsmen in the contest with Stanford's Ryan Seawell being hit a career-high and team season-high three times by Ross. The clubs left 24 runners on base with both teams stranding 12.
California took a 1-0 lead in the third when Errecart brought home Kyle Spraker with a sacrifice fly. Spraker had reached on a fielders' choice when Leva took his sacrifice bunt attempt and threw out Jordan Karnofsky trying to get to third after he had led the frame off with a double. Spraker then moved to third on a double by Nesbitt and Allen Craig walked to load the bases for Errecart.
Stanford answered with its only run of the contest in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1. Minaker and Taylor started the rally with back-to-back singles and moved to second and third on Randy Molina's sacrifice bunt. Lewis then fought off a two-strike pitch with an RBI single into rightcenter field to score Minaker before Ross got of the inning by forcing Jason Castro into an inning-ending double play.
California would score a single run in four of its final innings, beginning in the fifth when Leva ran into problems after recording the first two outs by walking Nesbitt. Craig followed with a single before Errecart brought home Nesbitt with an RBI single. Leva then walked Boesch to load the bases before Nolan Gallagher (1.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) came to retire Josh Satin on a fielders' choice and get the Cardinal out of the inning without any further damage.
The Golden Bears continued to slowly add to their lead with another single run in the seventh. Gallagher struck out Spraker to start the inning but he reached when Gallagher's wild pitch snuck by Cardinal catcher Brian Juhl. Nesbitt then bunted Spraker to second before Gallagher hit Craig and walked Errecart to load the bases. Sean Ratliff (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB) came on in relief of Gallagher and allowed an RBI groundout to Boesch before getting out of the inning two batters later by getting Jeff Van Winden to fly out.
California manufactured another single run in the eighth when Garrett Bussiere singled to lead off the inning, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from pinch-hitter Stephen Carlson and scored two batters later on Nesbitt's suicide squeeze.
The Golden Bears added their final run in the ninth when Errecart singled before Boesch walked and Satin was hit by David Stringer (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) to load the bases and end his short outing. Austin Yount (1.0 IP) relieved Stringer and immediately hit Van Winden to force in a runner before getting out of the jam when Bussiere rolled into a 5-2-3 double play and Carlson grounded out.
Stanford had several chance to score throughout the contest, getting its leadoff hitter on base in six of nine innings and leaving base runners in scoring position on five occasions.
The teams are scheduled to play the rubber game of the series on Sunday (1 pm, PT). Neither club has announced a probable starting pitcher for the contest. The annual Little League Day will be held in conjunction with Sunday's game.