March 30, 2009
Complete Release and Box Score in PDF Format
STOCKTON, Calif. - Stanford's offense reached double-digits in runs and hits for the third time in four games as the Cardinal (8-11) rolled to a 10-2, non-conference victory over host Pacific (10-13) tonight at Klein Family Field in Stockton. Stanford has now won consecutive games and four of its last five contests.
A day after an 11-0 win over Washington, Stanford scored nine runs over the first three innings tonight in Stockton. The Cardinal batted around during a four-run first, sent eight men to the plate while scoring four in the second and added a single run in the third before plating its 10th run in the ninth.
Stanford took a 2-0 lead just two batters into the game, as Colin Walsh led off with a single and Toby Gerhart deposited the first pitch he saw over the right-center field wall for his second home run of the year. With two outs and runners at the corners, Zach Jones legged out a run-scoring, infield single for a 3-0 lead. Brent Milleville followed with a smash up the middle that was stopped on a dive by Pacific second baseman J.B. Brown, but Ben Clowe never stopped running to score from second on the infield hit.
Five consecutive Cardinal hitters reached - and four scored - with one out in the second. Gerhart started the rally with a single for his second of three hits on the night, and Kellen Kiilsgaard drew a walk. Joey August and Min Moon then delivered RBI-singles, and Clowe greeted Pacific reliever Corey Kohnke with an RBI-double off the wall in left. Jones concluded the second-inning scoring with a sacrifice fly. Kiilsgaard's RBI-double to center in the third gave Stanford nine runs through its first three at-bats.
Stanford starter Danny Sandbrink turned in his second consecutive solid midweek start to earn his first win of the season. The sophomore right-hander worked the first 4.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with two walks and a season-high five strikeouts. Sandbrink also made big pitches in big spots, inducing a double play grounder in the first after the Tigers had runners at the corners and nobody out, and striking out Pacific's three-four hitters with a runner at third and one out in the third. That effort was part of a frame in which Sandbrink struck out the side.
The Cardinal also received excellent relief pitching from a pair of freshmen. Left-hander Scott Snodgress entered in the fifth and tossed 4.0-innings of two-hit, shutout ball. Brian Busick came on in the ninth and pitched a scoreless frame to close out the win.
Stanford added a 10th and final run in the top of the ninth, as freshman Christian Griffiths collected the first extra-base hit and RBI of his career with a pinch-double. Griffiths' hit scored Walsh, who drew his third walk of the game.
Stanford will play a second non-conference game this week, as the Cardinal hosts Santa Clara on Wednesday night. First pitch from Klein Field at Sunken Diamond is set for 5:00 p.m. PT.