March 27, 2009
Complete Release and Box Score in PDF Format
STANFORD, Calif. - On a night that saw Stanford head coach Mark Marquess move into sole possession of ninth place in NCAA Division I baseball history with his 1,332nd career head coaching victory, the Cardinal offense erupted for a 13-3 win over Washington in a Pac-10 Conference game at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond. Stanford has now won three of its last four games and is 6-10 overall (2-2 Pac-10), while Washington drops to 9-13 (0-1).
Marquess, who has posted a career 1,332-679-7 (.662) record in 33 years at the helm of his alma mater, watched his Stanford club establish season highs in runs and hits (16) in the opener of this Pac-10 weekend series. He also received an excellent pitching performance from starter Jeffrey Inman (1-3), who yielded just one run on three hits over 7.0 innings.
Stanford's bats were rolling from the onset tonight, as the Cardinal scored in five of its eight offensive innings - including a season-best eight-run outburst in the seventh. Eight different Stanford players recorded at least one hit (with six multi-hit efforts); eight scored at least one run (including four with at least two); and seven Cardinal players drove in a run (with four logging multi-RBI efforts). Stanford also scored eight of its runs with two outs in the inning.
The double play combo of second baseman Colin Walsh and shortstop Jake Schlander each tied their career high for hits by going 3-for-4 with two RBI, while senior center fielder Joey August hammered his first career grand slam. Min (Brian) Moon continued to swing a hot bat by going 2-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI, while Toby Gerhart busted out of a slump with two hits - including a double - and two RBI. Adam Gaylord also had a strong night, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and an RBI.
Walsh added a pair of walks to reach base safely five times from the leadoff spot, and made a trio of sparkling defensive plays over the final three innings. Twice, the sophomore dove up the middle to turn Washington hits into outs (once grabbing a grounder and once snaring a liner), then made a nifty pick on a low throw while covering the bag at second to begin a game-ending double play.
Making his fifth start of the year, Inman showed while he was named to the Golden Spikes Award Watch List with a brilliant outing. The junior right-hander faced the minimum through 4.0 innings, and held Washington hitless through 4.1 frames. After the first two Husky batters of the sixth reached, Inman retired the final six hitters he faced. He departed after 7.0 full innings, having allowed one run on three hits, with three walks and four strikeouts, to earn his first victory of the season.
Stanford jumped out to a 5-0 lead after four innings by scoring twice in the first, plating two-out runs in the second and third and scoring once more in the fourth. Zach Jones got the Cardinal going right away with a run-scoring double in the first, and he later came around to score himself on a two-out, RBI-single by Moon. The clutch hitting continued in the second when Walsh delivered an RBI-single with two outs, and was present again in the third when Gerhart ripped a two-out, RBI-double.
The Cardinal enjoyed its biggest offensive inning of the season in the seventh, sending 13 men to the plate and scoring eight runs. Moon and Gerhart walked to open the inning, and Jonathan Kaskow was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Gaylord brought home the first run with a sacrifice fly to center, and Schlander followed with a two-run triple to right-center field - Stanford's first three-bagger of the season. Walsh and Clowe walked to reload the bases and, one out later, August connected for his first home run of the season and the first grand slam of his excellent four-year career. August's blast came on a 0-1 pitch and caromed off the very top of the wall in right field before heading over. Gerhart's opposite-field, RBI-single capped the scoring later in the frame.
Stanford and Washington will square off in the second of this three game weekend series tomorrow afternoon, with Cardinal freshman right-hander Jordan Pries opposing Huskies sophomore left-hander Ben Guidos. First pitch from Klein Field at Sunken Diamond is set for 1:00 p.m. PT.
Colin Walsh tied his career high for hits, going 3-for-4 with 2 runs, 2 RBI and 2 walks |