Oct. 15, 2006
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Sam Fuld/David O'Hagan Audio Broadcast Clip
Stanford, Calif. - Sean Ratliff preserved a 10-9 victory for the 2007 Stanford Baseball team when he made a diving catch down the left field line for the final out of a thrilling 2006 Alumni Game played Sunday at Sunken Diamond. The Alumni had scored four runs in the top of the ninth to cut the Stanford lead to a single run and had the bases loaded when David O'Hagan sent a line shot down the left field line that Ratliff ran down for the final out.
The 2006 Alumni Game drew a large number of former Stanford players that played in the contest, including five with Major League Baseball experience in Mark Davis (1986), John Gall (2000), Mike Gosling (2002), Jason Young (2000) and Paul Zuvella (1980). Current Arizona Diamondback outfielder Carlos Quentin (2003) was also in attendance at the event and took a turn in the broadcast booth, as did the duo of Sam Fuld (2004) and David O'Hagan (2004) as well as Jeff Gilmore (2005).
Current minor leaguers also in attendance at the event included Jonny Ash (2004), Jeff Bruksch (2001), Fuld, Gilmore, Jed Lowrie (2005), Matt Manship (2006), Greg Reynolds (2006) and Mark Romanczuk (2005). Former minor leaguers included Damien Alvarado (2000), Thomas Changnon (1972), O'Hagan (2004), Dan Reed (1995), Mike Robbins (1995), Rich Scramaglia (1955), Ray Swarts (1954), Bill Worden (1981) and John Yandle (1977).
Other Alumni who played or coached in the contest or the Old Timers Game that preceeded the Alumni Game included Bill Alhouse (1951), Bill Acre (1949), Darrel Cass (1986), David Cornell (1992), Mike Dotterer (1983), Rusty DuQuette (1977), Joel Erickson (1977), Ken Grolle (1976), Rodger Irvine (1954), Cliff Kalinowski (1995), Dick Knudtsen (1966), Mark Marquess (1969), Cameron Matthews (2005), Hall Messner (1958), Cabe Nicksic (1999), Don Rose (1969), Gary Smith (1964), Darryl Stephens (1984), Dean Stotz (1975) and Brodie VanWagenen (1996).
"We have such a great time every year at this event," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess, who will begin his 31st season as the team's head coach in 2007. "It's so important for us to remember the past and all that the Stanford Baseball Alumni has done for us as a collegiate baseball entity. Today is a wonderful opportunity to do just that and say thanks to them."
The 2007 Stanford squad jumped out to early 1-0 lead when Joey August singled to lead off the bottom of the first and eventually scored on a clutch two-out RBI double by Jason Castro.
The Alumni came right back to tie the contest in the second on three consecutive singles by Gall, Lowrie and Matthews.
The game didn't stay tied long when Stanford answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second on a clutch two-out double by August that plated Brian Juhl and J.J. Jelmini after they had singled and doubled to lead off the frame.
The Alumni got one run back in the top of the third to cut the Stanford lead to 3-2 when Bruksch reached on an error by Cardinal third baseman Stephen Brown, moved to third on a double from Davis and scored on Cornell's RBI single.
Michael Taylor put the Cardinal back ahead by a pair of runs when he led off the bottom of the third with the only home run of the day, smashing a homer well over the leftcenter field wall.
The Alumni tied the game again at 4-4 after single runs in the fifth and sixth frames. Back-to-back one-out singles from Alvarado and Worden in the fifth put runners on the corners for Gosling, who was credited with an RBI fielders choice when he just beat out a double play at first. In the sixth, Gall led with a walk and then later drove in his pinch-runner Cornell with a sacrifice fly when he was allowed to hit again in the inning.
Stanford took the lead for good with a single run in the sixth when Kirk Erickson reached on a two-base error by Dotterer in right field and scored four batters later on a clutch two-out RBI single from Grant Escue.
The Cardinal extended its lead to 10-4 with five runs in the seventh. Adam Gaylord was hit by a pitch as the leadoff hitter of the frame to start the rally before Brian Juhl followed with a double. After Adam Sorgi struck out, Wande Olabisi, Matt Cano and Jeff Whitlow then came through with three consecutive RBI singles. Ratliff polished off the rally with his two-run double off the center field fence.
The Alumni scored once in the eighth on an RBI double by Cornell to cut the margin to 10-5 and set up the dramatic top of the ninth.
Alvarado and Nicksic started the four-run Alumni ninth with back-to-back singles before a one-out single by Gosling two batters later loaded the bases. Gall then drove in Alvarado with a sacrifice fly. Lowrie kept the rally going with an RBI double to score Nicksic and after a walk to Matthews that loaded the bases, Zuvella bounced a single through the left side to plate Gosling. Ash then drew a bases loaded walk before Ratliff robbed the Alumni with his dramatic game-saving catch of O'Hagan's sinking liner down the left field line.
Cornell (2-2, 2B, 2 RBI), Lowrie (2-3, 2B, RBI), Zuvella (2-3, RBI) and Alvarado (2-3) each had two hits for the Alumni, while Gall added a pair of RBI.
Jelmini (2-2, 2B), August (2-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Castro (2-3, 2B, RBI) and Juhl (2-3, 2B) had two hits apiece for Stanford.
Tom Stilson recorded the win for the Cardinal, scattering a pair of runs, three hits and two walks with one strikeout in 2.0 innings of work in the fifth and sixth frames.
Cliff Kalinowski (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER) took the loss as he was victimized by an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth.
OLD TIMERS GAME (Home 1, Visitors 0)
Ken Grolle pitched four scoreless innings to lead the home squad to a 1-0 victory over the visiting team in a four-inning Stanford Baseball Old-Timers Game on Sunday at Sunken Diamond. Darrel Cass scored the game's only run when he singled to lead off the bottom of the third, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error.
Seven different players - Cass, Tom Changnon, Joel Erickson, Grolle, Don Rose, Ray Swarts and Bill Worden - had one hit each for the winners. Cabe Nicksic (2-2) and Gary Smith (2-3) both had a pair of hits in defeat.
Stanford is scheduled to open its 2007 regular season by traveling to Cal State Fullerton for a three-game non-conference series from Friday-Sunday, February 2-4 (7 pm, 6 pm, 12 pm, PT). The first 2007 home series for the Cardinal will take place against Fresno State at Sunken Diamond the following Friday-Sunday, February 9-11 (5 pm, 1 pm, 1 pm, PT). The squad is scheduled to continue its current fall practice season through Sunday, October 29.
2006 STANFORD BASEBALL ALUMNI GAME
STANFORD ALUMNI 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 4 -- 9 15 1
2007 STANFORD BASEBALL 1 2 1 0 0 1 5 0 x -- 10 14 1
BATTERIES: Stanford Alumni - Iglesias, Manship (2), Reed (3), O'Hagan (4), Bruksch (5),
Kalinowski (6), Yandle (7) and Nicksic, Alvarado (2),
Worden (3), Nicksic (4), Alvarado (5), Worden (6), Nicksic (8).
2007 Stanford Baseball - Petrill, Hancock (3), Stilson (5), Bannister (7), Clauson (9)
and Juhl.
WIN - Stilson; LOSS - Kalinowksi; SAVE - None.
HR'S: 2006 Stanford Baseball - Taylor (solo in 3rd).
2006 STANFORD BASEBALL OLD-TIMERS GAME
VISITORS 0 0 0 0 -- 0 5 3 HOME 0 0 1 0 -- 1 7 1 BATTERIES: Visitors - Iglesias and Nicksic. Home - Grolle and Cass. WIN - Grolle; LOSS - Iglesias; SAVE - None. HR'S: None.