April 3, 2009
Complete Release and Box Score in PDF Format
EUGENE, Ore. - Playing its first game in Eugene, Ore. since 1974, Stanford (9-12, 3-4 Pac-10) was limited to just a solo home run by Brent Milleville in a 2-1 loss to host Oregon (12-15, 2-2) in the opener of a three-game, weekend Pac-10 series at PK Park. The defeat snaps Stanford's season-best winning streak at three games.
In resurrecting its baseball program after a 28 year absence, Oregon has built a club around pitching and entered today's contest ranked second in the Pac-10 with a 3.59 ERA. Freshman left-hander Tyler Anderson (2-3) started for the Ducks and held the Cardinal to just Milleville's homer over 7.2 innings, allowing six hits and three walks with nine strikeouts.
Stanford nearly tied the game in the eighth. Toby Gerhart led off the inning with a walk, and was at second with two outs when Anderson gave way to Oregon closer Drew Gagnier. Ben Clowe, who already had two hits on the day, greeted the right-handed reliever with a hard grounder up the middle. Unfortunately for Stanford, Ducks second baseman Josh Hogan gloved the ball on a fully extended dive, and was able to throw out Clowe. Anderson walked a batter in the ninth, but retired the side for his fifth save of the season.
Cardinal starter Jeffrey Inman suffered the epitome of a hard-luck loss, yielding only two runs on seven hits through 7.1-excellent innings. The junior right-hander, who has posted a 1.88 ERA over his last two starts, had the Ducks pounding the ball into the ground all afternoon long. Inman induced 15 groundball outs, while striking out five against only one walk. However, two Oregon batters - Mitch Karraker with two outs and the second and Danny Pulfer with one out in the fifth - found holes in the infield with their grounders for RBI-singles.
Stanford had a chance to tie the game with one swing in the ninth thanks to some stellar relief work from Danny Sandbrink. The sophomore right-hander entered with a runner at second and one out in the eighth, and retired Oregon's four-five hitters on two pitches to escape the jam.
Leadoff batter Colin Walsh reached base safely at least three times for the fourth consecutive game, going 2-for-4 with a walk. Milleville's homer was his second in as many games and his third in the last five contests.
Stanford and Oregon will square off in the second contest of this three-game series Saturday afternoon, with Cardinal right-hander Jordan Pries (2-0, 4.76) opposing Ducks righty Erik Stavert (3-1, 2.92). First pitch from PK Park is set for 1:00 p.m. PT.