Feb. 29, 2008
Stanford, Calif. - Randy Molina (2-3, HR, 5 RBI) hit his first collegiate home run and drove in a career-high five runs to lead Stanford (4-2) to a 12-5 victory over Cal State Fullerton (3-2) in the opener of a three-game series at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond on Friday. Molina drove in all five of his runs in the first two innings as Stanford jumped out to an early 9-1 lead after two frames. The run support would be plenty for Stanford pitchers Jeremy Bleich (6.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO) and Austin Yount (2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 SO) with Bleich picking up the win to improve to 2-0 on the season.
"I wish I had gotten it earlier," joked Molina about his first career homer. "But, it feels great to do it on a Friday night against a team like Cal State Fullerton."
Stanford has now won 16 of the last 17 meetings between the teams played at Stanford and snapped a three-game losing streak against the Titans overall as Cal State Fullerton had swept the Cardinal in a three-game set in Fullerton a year ago.
Cal State Fullerton actually got on the scoreboard first as the Cardinal took advantage of a Bleich error in the frame when his inability to pick up Josh Fellhauer's bunt led to the Titan leadoff hitter eventually coming around to score on Erik Komatsu's clutch two-out RBI single.
But the Cardinal jumped on losing pitcher Jeff Kaplan (1-1) right out of the gates as the Titan starter allowed seven runs (five earned) on six hits and two walks and was removed from the game before he could get an out in the second inning.
Cal State Fullerton's inability to turn a potential inning-ending double play in the bottom of the first led to five Cardinal runs in the frame. Kaplan walked Phelps to lead off the inning and Sean Ratliff two batters later to put Cardinal runners on first and second with one out. However, he induced Jason Castro into a ground ball to Jared Clark but the Titan first baseman threw wildly to second, allowing everyone to be safe and give the Cardinal the bases loaded with just one out. Molina then followed with a two-run single to put the Cardinal in front, 2-1, before an RBI double by Joey August and RBI singles from Jeff Whitlow and Jake Schlander capped the rally.
Stanford went back to hacking in the bottom of the second when Brendan Domaracki singled and Ratliff tripled him home to end Kaplan's short evening. Castro then drew a walk off reliever Travis Kelly before Molina took him deep over the right field wall for his three-run shot that put the Cardinal ahead, 9-1.
"We really bunched our hits together in the first two innings and had some big hits," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess. "To have a 9-1 lead after two innings is pretty good. If you give Jeremy Bleich an eight-run lead after two innings you've got a pretty good chance to win."
"It was a good win for us," continued Marquess. "We really swung the bats well, especially early in the game. We got some guys on base and then backed it up with some good hits."
The Cardinal extended its lead to 11-1 in the fifth on an RBI double by Whitlow and a sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Toby Gerhart.
Cal State Fullerton managed to close the gap to 11-5 with a pair of runs in both the sixth and seventh frames.
Back-to-back leadoff singles from Christian Colon and Fellhauer started the Titan sixth before the two eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Khris Davis and an RBI single by Komatsu.
In the seventh, a one-out single by Billy Marcoe and a walk to Colon ended Bleich's outing. Yount then hit Fellhauer to load the bases. Runs would score later in the inning on a groundout by Shevis Shima that turned into an RBI and an error when Cardinal first baseman Brent Milleville failed to field it cleanly and a sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Corey Jones.
Stanford would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when Ratliff walked with one out, stole second and scored two batters later on a one-out RBI single from Milleville.
Molina (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and August (2-5, 2B, RBI) joined Molina with multiple-hit games for the Cardinal.
Colon (2-3, SB), Fellhauer (2-4, 2B, SB) and Komatsu (2-5, 2 RBI) had two hits each for Cal State Fullerton.
Stanford and Cal State Fullerton continue their current series on Saturday and Sunday with start times each day scheduled for 1 pm, PT. Stanford is scheduled to go with RHP Erik Davis (0-1, 23.62) on the mound Saturday, while the Titans are slated to counter with RHP Cory Abriso (0-1, 1.50).