Stanford Defeats New Mexico 9-4 Behind Milleville's Slam and Fearnow's Relief

May 10, 2009

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STANFORD, Calif. - Brent Milleville's third grand slam of the season highlighted Stanford's seven-run second inning, while Max Fearnow held the nation's top offense in check over a career-best 5.2-relief innings as the Cardinal (25-21) cruised to a 9-4, rubber game win over visiting New Mexico (33-18) at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond. Stanford captured its second consecutive series, winning two of three non-conference games this weekend against a Lobos club that is just 1.0-game behind 15th-ranked TCU in the Mountain West Conference.

Stanford won for the fifth time in its last seven games, while improving to 10-5 in its last 15 contests and 21-11 since March 25.

Stanford scored all of its runs in the first two innings, taking a 2-1 lead after the opening frame on a two-run double by Toby Gerhart off New Mexico starter Ryan Escarcega (1-2). After the first batter of the bottom of the second inning was retired, the next eight Cardinal batters reached safely, while seven scored. Adam Gaylord singled to start the rally, and was immediately brought home on a RBI-double by Jake Schlander - who had two hits today and went 5-for-7 with three doubles and four RBI over the final two games of the series. Colin Walsh singled to put runners on the corners, and moved to third himself on a run-scoring single by Joey August - one of his three hits on the day. A wild pitch, a walk to Gerhart and a Kellen Kiilsgaard single brought Milleville to the plate with the bases loaded and a 5-1 lead. The senior first baseman fell behind 1-2, but hit the next pitch 400-plus feet and just over the left-center field wall for his second grand slam of the week and third of the season (fifth career).

Milleville finished the series with three home runs and 11 RBI, while he is now 12-for-25 (.480) with five homers and 21 RBI in his last seven games. Over the longer haul, he is batting .391 (34-for-87) with 11 homers and 40 RBI in his last 23 contests and is 43-for-113 (.381) with 14 homers, 47 RBI, a .778 slugging percentage and a .446 on-base mark since March 27 (31 games). Walsh's 1-for-4 effort with a walk extended his streak of reaching base safely via hit, walk or hit by pitch to 29 straight games.

Fearnow (4-3) continued his season-long excellence out of the bullpen, entering just one batter into the game. Stanford starter Jeffrey Inman could not loosen up properly and was removed for precautionary reasons after walking New Mexico's leadoff hitter. Fearnow proceed to work a career-best 5.2 innings, limiting a Lobos team that leads the country in batting average to three runs on six hits. With the win, the senior right-hander is now 4-1 with a 3.09 ERA (12er, 35.0ip) in 14 relief appearances.

Brandt Walker (1.0ip) and Drew Storen (2.1ip) combined for 3.1-innings of hitless, scoreless relief to close out the Cardinal victory.

Stanford will next play a pair of midweek non-conference games, beginning with a 6:00 p.m. PT contest Tuesday, May 12 at San Jose State. The Cardinal will host Pacific for a 5:00 p.m. tilt Wednesday, May 13 at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond.