Feb. 21, 2006
Stanford, Calif. - David Stringer faced the minimum number of batters and pitched a one-hitter through the first five innings to lead Stanford (7-3) to a 5-2 victory over Nevada (3-6) in a non-conference game at Sunken Diamond on a pleasant Tuesday afternoon. Making his first collegiate start on the mound, the 2004 Palo Alto High School graduate allowed a leadoff single to prep teammate Durell Williams and then got 15 consecutive outs before Leo Radkowski reached on an error to start the sixth. Stringer (5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 7 SO) struck out seven batters - including two each in the third, fourth and fifth innings - without issuing a walk to earn the victory and even his record at 1-1.
"This was a dream come true for me," said Stringer, who grew up watching Stanford play. "I was a little nervous, but it was more fun and exciting than anything else."
"David has pitched well for us," added Stanford head coach Mark Marquess, who recorded his 1231st career victory to move into sole possession of 14th-place on the NCAA Division I all-time win list. "He earned this start with the way he has been pitching and did a phenomenal job."
Freshman relievers Austin Yount (2.2 IP, 1 BB, 2 SO) and Jeremy Bleich (1.0 IP, 1 SO) closed out the victory with Bleich picking up his team-leading fourth save by setting down the Wolf Pack in order in the top of the ninth. Yount got Stringer out of a jam in the sixth inning, recording the final two outs after coming in with two runs already across, another runner on first base and the tying run at the plate.
Michael Taylor (2-3, 2 RBI) and Chris Minaker (2-4) had two hits each for the Cardinal, who won for the third straight time to equal a season-best win streak.
Stanford jumped out to an early 4-0 lead with two runs in both the bottom of the first and second innings.
Jim Rapoport started Stanford's first with a one-out walk, moved to second on a Minaker single and scored on an RBI single from Taylor. John Hester was then hit by a pitch to load the bases before Brent Milleville's sacrifice fly plated Minaker.
The Cardinal took advantage of a key Nevada error to score twice in the second. Brian Juhl drew a leadoff walk and Rapoport singled two batters later to put runners on first and second with one out. Minaker then dribbled a slow roller to the right side that Wolf Pack second baseman David Ciarlo threw away while trying to get Minaker on a bang-bang play at first. Minaker was credited with an infield single and Juhl came all the way home to score on Ciarlo's throwing error, while Minaker and Rapoport moved to second and third. Taylor then hit a ball into shallow centerfield that Ciarlo chased down from his second base position but Rapoport hustled home ahead of his throw to score an unearned run.
Nevada got both of its runs in the game off Stringer in the sixth.
Radkowski reached safely to start the inning when he hit a routine groundball to Cord Phelps that the Cardinal third baseman couldn't get a handle on in time to make a play at first base. Ryan Foley followed two batters later with an RBI triple to rightcenter field to score Radkowski and Williams bounced a single up the middle to plate Foley and end Stringer's afternoon before Yount came in to shut the door.
Nevada was able to get runners on in both the seventh and eighth innings but could advance them no further than first base.
Williams (2-4, RBI, SB) had two of Nevada's three hits.
Nevada starter Steven Masten (1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB) took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season. A trio of Steve Taylor (2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 SO), Kody Keroher (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 SO) and Owen Brolsma (2.0 IP, 1 SO) limited the Cardinal to just one unearned run the rest of the way to keep the Wolf Pack in the game.
Stanford, which closed out a 10-game homestand with Tuesday's victory, will now head out on the road for 10 in a row beginning with a three-game non-conference series at Fresno State this Friday-Sunday, February 24-26 (6:35, 1:05, 1:05 pm, PT).
"This will be a good test for a young team," commented Marquess about his club's upcoming road trip that will also take them to California (March 3-5), San Jose State (March 7) and USC (March 10-12) for non-conference contests. "In the next three weeks, we will really see where we need to be."