Feb. 28, 2009
Complete Release and Box Score in PDF Format
FULLERTON, Calif. - Cal State Fullerton's Jered Clark hit a grand slam and drove in six runs, while starter Daniel Renken held Stanford to one run in 7.0 innings as the No. 7/17 Titans (3-2) defeated the No. 14/7 Cardinal (2-3) in the opener of a three-game series at Goodwin Field. The loss snapped Stanford's five-game winning streak over Fullerton.
Renken (1-0) and Cardinal starter Jeffrey Inman (0-1) locked up in a pitchers duel befitting two Friday night starters for much of the contest, before the host Titans broke open the game late.
Stanford scored first when Joey August led off the second inning with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and was brought home on an RBI-single by Jonathan Kaskow.
Inman made that 1-0 lead stand until the sixth, when a Cardinal error and some Fullerton small ball led to a four-run inning. The Stanford right-hander had retired seven in a row heading into the frame, when Titan leadoff hitter Gary Brown singled to open the inning. Christian Colon followed with a single, and Josh Fellhauer reached on a sacrifice bunt that was booted for an error. Clark then grounded a two-run single through the left side, giving Fullerton a 2-1 lead it would not relinquish. By the time the inning was over, the Titans had parlayed four groundball singles, three sacrifice bunts (including a safety squeeze) and the error into four runs (two earned).
Fullerton put the game away in the seventh, when Clark hammered a grand slam off Stanford reliever Danny Sandbrink.
August was the only Stanford hitter to record a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4. Alex Pracher made his 2009 debut in the eighth inning, stranding an inherited runner while retiring three of four batters faced (1bb,1so).
Stanford and Cal State Fullerton resume the series on Saturday night. Freshman left-hander Brett Mooneyham will make his first collegiate start (second appearance) for the Cardinal, while the Titans will send right-hander Kyle Whitten to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PT.