Feb. 20, 2006
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Stanford, Calif. - Chris Minaker (4-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI) drove in a career-high five runs and hit his second career grandslam to cap a season-high nine-run third inning to lift Stanford (6-3) to a 13-9 victory over No. 7 Texas (5-6) in the rubber game of three-game series at Sunken Diamond on Monday afternoon. The Cardinal took advantage of five walks, a hit batsmen and a wild pitch by Texas pitchers in the inning as four of the runs were walked in by the Longhorn staff and another scored on the wild pitch.
"I had the green light, so I was looking for one pitch in one location," said Minaker about his grandslam. "I just tried to put my best swing on it. The important thing is to not try to do too much in that situation."
Michael Taylor (2-4, RBI), John Hester (2-4, 2B) and Jason Castro (2-5) added two of Stanford's season-high 14 hits each. Jim Rapoport added a homer and drove in two runs.
"We hit the ball well today, especially against a team like Texas," commented Stanford head coach Mark Marquess.
Blake Holler (1-0) picked up the victory with Stanford's longest relief outing of the year, scattering eight hits and four runs with four strikeouts in 4.2 frames of work after entering the game with one out in the top of the third inning.
Taylor and Castro started Stanford's third with back-to-back one-out singles before Hester was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Losing pitcher Randy Boone (0-2, 2.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB) was removed in favor of Kyle Walker, who proceeded to walk in three runs and uncork a wild pitch for another Cardinal score before walking his fourth consecutive batter to reload the bases before being taken out of the contest. Kenn Kasparek (2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) walked in another run before giving up Minaker's shot over the left field wall.
Drew Stubbs (3-4, HR, 2 RBI) and Carson Kainer (3-4, 3B, 2 RBI) had three hits each for the Longhorns, while Kyle Russell (2-4, 3B, 2 RBI) and Brett Lewis (2-4, 2B, RBI) added two of Texas' 13 hits apiece.
Both teams scored twice in their first at bat.
Texas got both of its first inning runs on a clutch two-out triple by Russell that scored Nick Peoples and Preston Pehrson, who had walked earlier in the inning.
Joey August singled to lead off Stanford's first frame and moved to second on Rapoport's sacrifice bunt, before scoring on an RBI double by Minaker. Minaker then moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Taylor's RBI single through the left side of the infield.
Texas went back in front, 4-2, with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Chaise Fuller drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Stubbs before scoring on an RBI double down the right field line by Pehrson that also chased Stanford starter Matt Leva (2.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO).
After Stanford's nine-run third, the teams traded solo homers in the fifth inning with Stubbs going deep for the Longhorns and Rapoport for the Cardinal.
Texas scored a run in the seventh when Stubbs singled with one out and moved to third on a two-out single by Russell before scoring when Kainer came through with the Longhorns' second straight two-out single.
Texas inched to within 12-7 with another run in the eighth but reliever Sean Ratliff (2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO) got Stanford out of the inning without any further damage when forced pinch-hitter Todd Gilfillan to hit into an inning-ending fielder's choice with the bases loaded.
Stanford tacked on a run in the bottom of the eighth when Hester singled, moved to third on a single by Brent Milleville and scored on Chris Lewis' sacrifice fly.
The Longhorns got two runs in the top of the ninth with a walk to Bradley Suttle, an RBI double from Brett Lewis and a scoring groundout by Clay Van Hook before Ratliff struck out Peoples to end the contest.
"A series against a team like Texas has huge ramifications when it comes to the NCAA seedings at the end of the year," said Minaker. "You always want to play well, but there is always a little something extra in the air with a team like Texas."
"Teams like Texas have a great reputation," said Marquess about the series victory over the Longhorns. "We're excited, and it's good to win this series, but we have a lot of work ahead of us."
Stanford is scheduled to close out a season-opening 10-game homestand versus Nevada on Tuesday (2 pm, PT) before playing its next 10 contests on the road. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher for Tuesday's game.