Feb. 25, 2009
Complete Recap and Box Score in PDF Format
STANFORD, Calif. - Saint Mary's (3-1) scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning and made it hold up for a non-conference, 5-3 victory over host No. 14/7 Stanford (2-2) this evening at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond. The Cardinal scored twice in the bottom of the ninth and had the potential winning run at the plate, but the Gaels escaped with the win.
The story of tonight's game was Saint Mary's starting pitcher Kyle Barraclough (1-0), who tossed 5.0-shutout innings to earn the win in his collegiate debut. The right-hander held Stanford to just three hits, while he walked two and struck out four.
Stanford starter Brandt Walker (0-1) matched Barraclough through the first four innings, before the right-hander tired in the fifth. Chris Murphy led off with a bunt single, and a hit batsman, walk and wild pitch forced in the Gaels' first run. Walker rebounded to strike out his final hitter, but Saint Mary's tacked on three more runs in the frame of the Cardinal bullpen for a 4-0 lead.
The Cardinal got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth, as Joey August hammered a one-out double and scored on Brent Milleville's RBI-single.
Stanford trailed 5-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth, but, as has been the club's custom in the early going of the 2009 campaign, the Cardinal staged a rally. Jake Schlander singled with one out, and both Zach Jones and Colin Walsh followed with walks to load the bases. Toby Gerhart's sacrifice fly brought home one run, and August delivered an RBI-single to bring Stanford within two. However, Milleville was retired on a sharp grounder to short to end the game.
Freshman Christian Griffiths was in the lineup as designated hitter for his first collegiate start, and singled in the seventh for his first career hit. Fellow rookie Brian Busick also made his collegiate debut, working a scoreless eighth inning.
The Cardinal stranded a total of 11 runners, including leaving the bases loaded in the seventh.