May 24, 2006
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Stockton, Calif. - Stanford (30-23) won for the ninth time in its last 11 games by coming from behind for a 14-8 non-conference victory over Pacific (27-24) in a non-conference contest at Klein Family Field on Wednesday afternoon. Chris Lewis (4-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, SB) homered, had a career-high five RBI and the second career-high-tying four-hit game of his career to lead the offense. Austin Yount shut the door on Pacific in the longest outing his career, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings and striking out a career-high five while scattering four hits and walking just one.
Chris Minaker (3-6, 2B, 3 RBI), Ryan Seawell (3-5, 2B) and Jason Castro (3-5) added three hits each, while John Hester (2-5, 2 RBI) had a part of hits and scored a career-high three runs to contribute to a Cardinal offense that posted a season-high-tying 14 runs on a season-high 19 hits.
"This was a nice comeback win," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess. "We showed a lot of character in the way we finished the game. Our offense really came alive when we need it, and Austin Yount gave us a great performance out of the bullpen."
Stanford trailed 8-4 after Pacific put up five runs in the bottom of the fifth but answered with a six-spot in the top of the sixth. Jason Castro started the Cardinal rally with a leadoff single before Randy Molina drew a walk and Jim Rapoport reached on a bunt single to load the bases with no outs to end a short outing for Tiger reliever Eric Stolp (1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO). Seawell picked up the first Cardinal run of the frame when greeted losing pitcher Ty'Relle Harris (0.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB) with an RBI single up the middle. Hester then pulled the Cardinal to within 8-7 with a two-RBI single once again up the middle before Minaker singled through the left side to tie the game at 8-8 and Lewis followed with a two-RBI single to cap the rally, giving the Cardinal a 10-8 lead the club would never relinquish.
"That's been our mode of operation lately," explained Lewis. "We just keep fighting and believe that it's never too late for us, and that we shouldn't be counted out."
Yount kept the Cardinal deficit at 8-4 when he came into the game and struck out Anthony Jackson with the bases loaded and five Tiger runs already across in the bottom of the fifth. Justin Baum started the Pacific fifth when he a long solo homer just inside the left field foul pole to tie the game at 4-4. Jackson and Ramon Glasgow then drew back-to-back walks to end a brief outing for Cardinal reliever Sean Ratliff (1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO). David Stringer (0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 SO) came on in relief of Ratliff and got the first out of the inning by striking out Jake Ross but not before uncorking a wild pitch to move the runners to second and third. Stringer then hit John Joines to load the bases before allowing a two-RBI single to pinch-hitter Brett Manning and an RBI double to Adam Ching. The Cardinal caught a break when Manning was cut down at the plate trying to score the second run of the play on Ching's double. Max Fearnow (0.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB) became the third Cardinal pitcher of the frame but couldn't get an out in the three batters he faced, allowing an RBI double to Bob Saunders for the final Pacific run of the inning before hitting Matt Berezay and walking Baum before Austin came on get the final out.
Stanford tacked on four more runs in the top of the seventh for the final 14-8 score. A leadoff walk to Molina and a pair of one-out singles from Seawell and Hester loaded the bases for Minaker, who delivered with a two-run double. Hester and Minaker scored the final Cardinal runs of the game later in the frame when they scored on a passed ball and balk, respectively.While Stanford was scoring 10 unanswered runs, Yount was delivering the best outing of his career. He allowed leadoff singles in the seventh, eighth and ninth frames but worked out of trouble on each occasion.
"With the way we battled back today, I just wanted to fill up the zone with strikes and keep us in the game," said Yount. "I just wanted to try and throw strikes and make the hitters get themselves out."Pacific jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first three innings, scoring two runs in the second and one more in the third.
Joines came through with a clutch two-out, two-RBI single in the second that scored Jackson and Glasgow, who had started the Tiger rally with back-to-back one-out singles before moving to second and third on a wild pitch by Cardinal starter Erik Davis (3.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO).
The Tigers added a run in the third when Glasgow beat out a two-out bases loaded single after Berezay had walked with two outs, Baum singled and the runners moved to second and third before Jackson walked to set the table for Glasgow.
Stanford scored the next four runs to take a 4-3 lead.
The Cardinal tied the contest with a three-run fourth that started when Michael Taylor led off with a single and Lewis followed with his career-high-tying eighth homer of the season to bring the Cardinal within 3-2. Three consecutive one-out singles by Castro, Molina and Rapoport would bring Stanford even at 3-3.
Lewis gave Stanford its first lead of the contest at 4-3 when he doubled home Hester, who had reached on an error and moved to second on a balk by Stolp.
Stanford will conclude its 2006 regular season with a two-game home-and-home series versus UC Davis, hosting the Aggies on Friday (6 pm, PT) before traveling to Davis on Saturday (2 pm, PT). The Cardinal will honor its senior class of Hester, Lewis, Matt Manship and Minaker in a pre-game ceremony before the group suits up for the final regular season game of their career at Sunken Diamond. Friday's game will also serve as Fan Appreciation Day with the annual Town & Country Village Fireworks show scheduled after the contest.
The 16 Regional host sites for the 2006 NCAA Championship will be announced on Sunday, May 28, while the 64-team field will be revealed on Monday, May 29. Stanford has made 12 consecutive appearances (1994-2005) in the postseason.