May 9, 2009
Complete Release and Box Score in PDF Format
STANFORD, Calif. - Brent Milleville drove in a career-high seven runs and hit two of Stanford's five home runs - its most since 2004 - as the Cardinal (24-21) rolled to a 17-5 victory over visiting New Mexico (33-17) in a non-conference game at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond. Stanford pounded out 10 extra base hits and set a season high for runs, while freshman Brett Mooneyham pitched into the eighth inning as the home club evened this series at a game apiece.
Milleville singlehandedly drove in enough runs to defeat the Lobos with the first seven-RBI day by a Cardinal player since Sean Ratliff on April 6, 2007 at Arizona State. The senior first baseman drilled a two-out, two-run single in the first inning, belted a three-run home run in the third and connected on a two-run shot in the seventh for his third career multi-homer game and second such effort of 2009. Milleville is now 11-for-22 (.500) with four homers and 17 RBI over his last six games, is batting .393 (33-for-84) with 10 homers and 36 RBI in his last 22 contests and is 42-for-110 (.382) with 13 homers, 43 RBI, a .773 slugging percentage and a .444 on-base mark since March 27 (30 games).
Ben Clowe followed Milleville's second inning homer with a solo shot, giving him three in the last five games and producing Stanford's first back-to-back roundtrippers of the season. Toby Gerhart added a two-run bolt in the fourth and Jeff Whitlow came off the bench to belt a pinch-hit, solo homer leading off the eighth. All told, Stanford's five homers were its most in a single game since hitting seven May 16, 2004 at Arizona, and were the most by a Cardinal club at Sunken Diamond since an eight-homer outburst May 2, 2004 against Washington State.
Jake Schlander also had a sensational day for Stanford offensively, matching his career high for hits (fourth time) and RBI (second time) by going 3-for-4 and driving in three runs. He also logged his first career two-double game, stole a base and played an excellent defensive shortstop.
Schlander's double play partner, second baseman Colin Walsh, reached base safely for the 28th consecutive game by going 2-for-5 with a walk, two runs scored, a double and an RBI. Kellen Kiilsgaard singled, doubled and scored three runs, Joey August went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI and Zach Jones stole two bases.Complementing Stanford's offense was freshman left-hander Brett Mooneyham (5-2), who struck out eight and did not walk a batter over a career-high 7.1 innings. Mooneyham tossed scoreless innings in six of his seven full frames, only running into trouble during New Mexico's four-run fourth - which came immediately after the freshman sat during the Cardinal's lengthy five-run third. Displaying some of the best command of his young career, Mooneyham retired the first 10 batters he faced and did not issue a walk for the first time in his nine collegiate starts. He improved to 5-1 in his last seven trips to the hill (Stanford is 6-1), while winning his fourth consecutive home start.
Stanford's first nine runs came against New Mexico starter Rudy Jaramillo (3-1), as the freshman suffered his first collegiate loss. After the Cardinal batted around off the left-hander in the third, Gerhart's homer chased him in the fourth - part of an inning in which Stanford sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs.
Stanford and New Mexico will square off tomorrow in the rubber game of this series, with Cardinal right-hander Jeffrey Inman (2-6, 5.94) opposing Lobos right-hander Ryan Escarcega (1-1, 4.41). First pitch from Klein Field at Sunken Diamond is set for 1:00 p.m. PT.