Feb. 24, 2012
STANFORD, Calif.-- Mark Appel (2-0) struck out a career-best 10 as No.2-ranked Stanford (5-0) won the series opener with No. 7-ranked Texas (2-3) following a 7-2 win on Friday evening.
Appel had a no-hitter into the fifth and scattered three hits in seven-plus innings. He had a shutout into the eighth before his lone hitter in the inning scored. He walked three and at one point retired 10 in a row.
Texas made it interesting in the eighth, loading the bases after cutting the lead to 6-2 against reliever AJ Vanegas, before David Schmidt got the final out with a ground out. Schmidt got the final four outs of the game for his first career save.
Brian Ragira had three hits and drove in three with a pair of doubles, while Jake Stewart hit his first home run of the season as part of a three-hit night.
Collin Shaw's higher chopper over first, broke up the no-hitter with one out in the fifth after the righthander had retired 10 in a row. After loading the bases, Lonnie Kauppila's bare handed pick up and double play kept it scoreless for the Longhorns. Kauppila made another nice turn at second on a double play ball in the eighth, allowing the first of two Texas runs to score in the eighth.
Appel pitched to four over the minimum over the first five innings and reached his career-high in in the seventh after stranding two runners on in the sixth with two strikeouts and an inning ending groundout.
Ragira's second RBI double, this time, driving in two made it 5-0 in the second as an error by second baseman Brooks Marlow allowed the inning to continue after he could not catch a soft popup.
Leadoff hitter, Stewart, took the second pitch he saw for a solo shot to give the Cardinal an early 1-0 lead. Ragira added an RBI double.
NOTES: An acrobatic catch towards the outfield wall was made by Texas left fielder Collin Shaw to rob Christian Griffiths of a base hit in the third. Then rightfielder Mark Payton made a diving catch in right to rob Lonnie Kauppila... A moment of silence was taken prior to first pitch for 23-year equipment manager Ron Yamaguchi who passed away this morning... Saturday and Sunday's games are scheduled for 1 p.m.