March 25, 2009
Complete Release and Box Score in PDF Format
DAVIS, Calif. - Behind crisp pitching and the bat of Min (Brian) Moon, Stanford (5-10) posted a 5-2 victory at UC Davis (3-14) in a non-conference game that took just two hours, fifteen minutes from Dobbins Stadium.
Making his first start of the year (pinch-hitting for the designated hitter spot during the first turn through the lineup), Moon went 2-for-3 with his first collegiate home run and three RBI. Moon broke a scoreless tie with one out in the fifth, hammering an Anthony Kupbens (0-1) offering well over the left field wall for a solo homer. One inning later, the junior infielder capped a four-run Stanford rally with a two-run, opposite field single that put the Cardinal ahead 5-0. With his effort today, Moon is now 4-for-7 with a double and a home run in limited time this season.
The other storyline of today's win was the Stanford pitching, as five Cardinal hurlers combined to limit the Aggies to two runs (one earned). More impressively, Stanford walked just one batter two days after issuing 12 free passes in a loss at California.
Sophomore right-hander Danny Sandbrink took the ball at the onset of today's contest, and worked 3.0-scoreless innings while recording two of the game's biggest outs. After a sun-aided double placed UC Davis runners at second and third with one gone in the second, he induced Joseph Medeiros to ground to Stanford third baseman Zach Jones, who threw out Danny Scoma in the ensuing rundown. Sandbrink then struck out Scott Heylman to escape the jam and set the stage for the Cardinal offense.
Senior right-hander Max Fearnow earned the win this afternoon with 3.0-innings of two-hit, shutout relief. Fearnow, who has now worked 6.0-scoreless frames over three relief appearances, retired the final seven batters he faced for the victory - including a pair of perfect innings after Stanford had scored in the top half.
Holding a 1-0 lead thanks to Moon's home run, Stanford batted around and scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning. Colin Walsh - who has reached base safely at least twice for six straight games as the Cardinal leadoff hitter - led off the frame with a walk, and stole second to move himself into scoring position. Kellen Kiilsgaard then collected his eighth RBI in five games with a run-scoring double, and was brought home himself on an RBI-double by Joey August. A walk to Jonathan Kaskow and an infield single by Ben Clowe loaded the bases for Moon, who delivered his two-run single.
Stanford sealed today's victory with some excellent late-inning relief work. Freshman left-hander Scott Snodgress worked a perfect eighth inning in a set-up role, and sophomore closer Drew Storen earned his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth. Storen yielded a harmless single, while recording his 14th strikeout in 8.1 innings of work.
Stanford returns home this weekend to host Washington in a three-game, Pac-10 series at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond. The Cardinal and Huskies will square off on Friday, March 27 in a 5:30 p.m. PT contest, while the Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29 games are both set for 1:00 p.m. PT starts.