April 13, 2009
Complete Release and Box Score in PDF Format
STANFORD, Calif. - Joey August's two-out RBI-single tied the game in the sixth, Ben Clowe's pinch-hit, RBI-double put Stanford ahead in the seventh and Kellen Kiilsgaard drove in a career-high six runs as the host Cardinal (14-13) rallied for a 14-4, non-conference win over California (15-18) this evening at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond. After falling behind 4-1 in the top of the sixth, Stanford plated 13 unanswered runs in its final three at-bats. The Cardinal pushed across three runs in the sixth to tie the game, sent 10 men to the plate while scoring six times in the seventh and batted around during a four-run eighth that put the game away.
Stanford has now won five of its past six games, eight of its past 10 contests and is 10-3 in its last 13 outings. The Cardinal, which stood at 4-10 just three weeks ago, is now above .500 (14-13) for the first time since it was 2-1 after the season's opening weekend.
Kiilsgaard, who finished a home run shy of the cycle, went 3-for-5 with a double, triple and six RBI - the most RBI by a Stanford player in a single game since Michael Taylor also drove in six on May 26, 2007 at USC. Kiilsgaard - who also drew a walk - doubled home a run in the fifth, hit a three-run triple in the seventh and collected a two-run single in the eighth. All six of his RBI came with two outs in an inning, while the Stanford right fielder increased his team-leading total to 27 on the season.
Max Fearnow (2-3) earned the win tonight with 3.0-innings of one-hit, shutout relief. The senior right-hander stranded an inherited runner with the game still tied 4-4 in the seventh, and struck out five while retiring nine of the 10 batters he faced. Tonight's effort was the latest in a string of stellar performances by Fearnow, who has fashioned a 1.20 ERA (2er, 15.0ip) and .185 average against (10-for-54) in seven relief appearances since moving to the Stanford bullpen.
Stanford's offense was stymied through the early innings, as the Cardinal stranded six runners through the first three innings while falling in a 3-0, fifth-inning hole. The Cardinal began to climb back in the fifth, when Colin Walsh led off with a walk and scored on Kiilsgaard's two-out, RBI-double.
After California scored a run of its own in the sixth to take a 4-1 lead, Stanford scored three in the bottom half to forge a tie. Zach Jones led off the frame by dropping down a perfect bunt single off Golden Bears' starter Kevin Miller, stole second and scored on a one-out, RBI-double by Adam Gaylord. An error on Jake Schlander's fielder's choice grounder put runners at the corners, and Gaylord crossed the plate on a RBI-groundout by Walsh. With two outs and August at the plate, Cal turned to lefty Michael Bugary. However, Stanford's senior center fielder lined a pitch back up the middle for a clutch, RBI-single that tied the game at 4-4.
Stanford sent 10 men to the plate during a six-run seventh inning that gave the Cardinal a 10-4 lead. With runners at first and second and nobody out, Clowe turned in one of the game's biggest at-bats. Called on as a pinch-hitter to sacrifice the runners over, Clowe fouled off a pair of bunt attempts before driving a 1-2 pitch into the left-center field gap for an RBI-double that put Stanford on top, 5-4. Schlander brought home another run with an RBI-groundout and Walsh delivered a sacrifice fly for a 7-4 lead. Following walks to August and Toby Gerhart that loaded the bases, Kiilsgaard broke the game open with a two-out, two-strike, bases-clearing triple to right-center.
Jones, who finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored, two walks and two stolen bases, ignited Stanford's four-run eighth inning with a leadoff single. Schlander contributed a sacrifice fly, August delivered his second RBI-single of the night and Kiilsgaard capped the frame with an opposite-field, two-run single.
Walsh reached base safely three times with a single and two walks, while he also scored twice and drove in two runs. Schlander finished with a pair of RBI, while Clowe drew a walk in his second plate appearance and scored two runs. Gaylord went 2-for-3 with a walk, three runs scored and an RBI, while Brent Milleville singled twice in six at-bats.
Stanford will play its second of two midweek games this Wednesday, April 15 at Santa Clara. First pitch from Schott Stadium is set for 6:00 p.m. PT.