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May 20, 2004
Friday, May 21, 6 pm, PDT
RHP Ian Kennedy (6-2, 2.71) vs. LHP Mark Romanczuk (10-1, 3.91)
Saturday, May 22, 1 pm, PDT
TBA vs. RHP Jeff Gilmore (8-2, 4.89)
Sunday, May 23, 1 pm, PDT
TBA vs. TBA
MEDIA COVERAGE
Gametracker: Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Live Audio: gostanford.com with Sam Stefanki and Michael Etchepare on the microphone ... A Gametracker with live stats for all three games will also be available from a link at gostanford.com.
PROMOTIONS
Stanford will host its annual Youth Baseball Day when the Cardinal hosts USC on Sunday, May 23.
QUICK TEAM NOTES
Stanford (40-10, 12-6 Pac-10) moved up one spot to the top of the latest of all four major college baseball national polls released on Monday, May 17 (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA and Sports Weekly/ESPN) ... Stanford has spent a total of four weeks (March 22-29, May 3, May 17) as the nation's unanimous No. 1 squad this season and has been on top of the Baseball America poll nine weeks (February 23 - April 5, May 3, May 17) ... Stanford continues a seven-game homestand that will conclude the regular season by hosting USC (22-28, 8-10 Pac-10) in a three-game series this Friday-Sunday (6 pm, 1 pm, 1 pm, PDT) ... The Cardinal has dropped to second-place in the Pac-10, one-half game behind Washington (14-7 Pac-10), after losing two-of-three in each of its last two series at Washington (May 7-9) and Arizona (May 15-17) but still has the fewest losses in the Pac-10 ... Stanford lost the final two games at Arizona (May 16-17) to drop back-to-back games for the first time this season but rebounded with a victory over San Francisco (May 18) in its most recent contest to extend its school record string of 40-win seasons to 10 ... Stanford will play its final six regular season games at home, where the Cardinal has a 16-game win streak, a 23-1 record this season and has won 32 of its last 33 ... Stanford struggled to a 5-7 record in its final 12 regular season road games but still finished with a 17-9 regular season road mark ... Stanford has come from behind in 17 of its 40 wins this year ... Stanford is 6-3 this season against ranked teams and 2-1 in extra-inning contests ... Stanford has been errorless in 20 of its first 50 games and is 18-2 in those contests ... Stanford has won by three or more runs in 32 of its 40 victories and is 22-2 in games decided by five or more runs ... Prior to losing 9-2 at Washington on May 9 and 11-2 at Arizona on May 17 in its biggest two margins of defeat this year, Stanford's previous four losses had been by one run ... The Cardinal is just 2-5 in one-run games, losing each of the last five one-run games it has been involved in ... Stanford is leading the Pac-10 in all three major team categories with a .330 batting average, a 4.31 ERA and a .975 fielding percentage ... Stanford is averaging 8.8 runs per contest and has posted double-digit runs in 22 games this year ... The Cardinal has also reached double digits in hits on 38 occasions but just four of its last eight ... Stanford has hit 84 homers to lead the Pac-10 and has a legitimate chance to break the school record of 102 hit by the 1997 club ... Stanford is looking to extend its school record string of consecutive appearances at the College World Series to six ... Stanford has won 50 or more games in three of the last four seasons ... Stanford has captured 11 Pac-10 titles in the last 21 years and finished either first or second in the conference 21 times in last 23 seasons.
QUICK INDIVIDUAL NOTES
National Player of the Year candidate Jed Lowrie leads the Cardinal in most offensive categories - batting average (.412, #2 Pac-10, #20 NCAA), runs scored (63, #1T Pac-10, #10T NCAA), doubles (18, # Pac-10), triples (4, co-team leader, #5 Pac-10), home runs (16, #1 Pac-10, #16 NCAA), RBI (63, #1 Pac-10, #15T NCAA), extra-base hits (38), total bases (154, #1 Pac-10), slugging percentage (.794, #1 Pac-10, #4 NCAA), bases on balls (40, #5 Pac-10), on-base percentage (.512, #2 Pac-10), sacrifice flies (5, co-team leader, #4T Pac-10) and multiple-RBI games (18) ... Lowrie also ranks second on the club in hits (80, #3 Pac-10) and multiple-hit games (24) ... Lowrie had a career game in Stanford's 19-18 loss at Arizona on May 16, going 6-for-6 for his first career six-hit game while also hitting his first career grandslam, setting a new career-high with five RBI, tying a career-high with three doubles and picking up a career-high and team single-game season-high 12 total bases ... Danny Putnam leads the team in hits (82) and has a current 10-game hit streak (4/8 - 4/30; .449, 22-49, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 3 SB) that began with eight consecutive multiple-hit games ... Putnam also leads the squad in multiple-hit games (27) with 15 in his last 21 contests, while ranking second in homers (14, #2 Pac-10) and tied for second in RBI (50, #4T Pac-10) ... Brian Hall, who has hit safely in 30 of his last 35 games and is batting a phenomenal .500 (35-70) in 18 Pac-10 games, is fourth on the team with a .364 overall batting average but has struggled with just three hits in his last 21 at bats (.143) ... Hall paces the club in stolen bases (12, #5 Pac-10) and co-leads the team in triples (4, #5T Pac-10), while ranking second in doubles (12) and tied for second in RBI (50, #4T Pac-10), as well as fifth in homers (9, #10T Pac-10) ... Jonny Ash ranks fourth on the team with a .374 batting average ... John Mayberry, Jr. is second on the team in stolen bases (9, #8T Pac-10) and tied for second in RBI (50, #4T Pac-10), as well as third in homers (13, #3 Pac-10) and fifth in batting average (.345) ... Donny Lucy is sixth on the club in batting average with a .329 mark and has contributed 11 homers, 42 RBI and five stolen bases ... Ryan Seawell (.324, 7 RBI, 1 SB), John Hester (.308, 7 RBI, 2 SB) and Chris Carter (.303, 8 HR, 35 RBI, 1 SB) are also hitting over .300 ... Carter had the second two-homer game of his career at Arizona (May 16) and followed that with his first career four-hit day (4-4) the following day ... Carter is hitting .420 with five homers and 18 RBI in just 50 Pac-10 at bats ... Sam Fuld (.271, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 7 SB) is the all-time Stanford and Pac-10 leader for runs scored (258) and at bats (1032), while ranking second behind former Stanford player John Gall (368, 1997-2000) on the all-time Stanford and Pac-10 lists for hits (345) ... Fuld also ranks among Stanford's career leaders in games played (250, #3), triples (16, #3T) and doubles (58, #6T) ... Mark Romanczuk (10-1) leads the team and co-leads the Pac-10 with 10 wins, while ranking fifth on Stanford's all-time won-loss percentage list (22-3, .880) ... David O'Hagan is 5-1 with a team-high six saves and has the lowest ERA (2.82, #2 Pac-10) among Stanford pitchers with at least 1.0 inning pitched per team game played, while ranking sixth on Stanford's all-time won-loss percentage list with a 12-2 (.857) career record.
TBA
ALL-TIME SERIES
USC is one of the few teams to lead the all-time series with Stanford, holding a 198-153-3 all-time advantage over the Cardinal. However, Stanford has had the upper hand in recent years. The Cardinal has won four consecutive season series versus the Trojans (2000-03) since the teams split six games in 1999. In fact, USC has not won a season series against the Cardinal since the Trojans swept all six games between the clubs in 1996. Stanford has won seven of its last eight games versus the Trojans, including two-of-three in a non-conference series in Los Angeles earlier this year (March 5-7; W, 10-2; W, 8-7 - 13 inn.; L, 8-11). Stanford also won five of the six games played between the teams last year, taking two-of-three in a non-conference series at Stanford (February 28 - March 2; L, 4-13; W, 10-6; W, 18-4) before sweeping the Trojans in a three-game conference set in Los Angeles (May 3(DH)-4; W, 22-10; W, 8-3; W, 8-3).
2004 VERSUS USC
Stanford 10, at USC 2 (March 5, 2004) - Stanford rolled to a 10-2 victory as Mark Romanczuk pitched 7.0 scoreless innings, scattering seven hits and striking out seven to earn the victory. Donny Lucy (3-4, SB) led the Cardinal offense with three hits and three runs scored, while Brian Hall's two-run homer in the top of the ninth was the only extra-base hit for either team. Jed Lowrie and Sam Fuld also drove in a pair of runs each for the Cardinal. USC's Baron Frost (3-4) had a three-hit game for the Trojans, while Daniel Perales (2-4, RBI) and Joey Metropoulos (2-4) picked up two hits each. USC starter Bobby Paschal the first of seven Trojan pitchers, suffered the loss by allowing four runs on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts over the first 3.2 innings.
Stanford 8, at USC 7 - 13 Innings (March 6, 2004) - Stanford rallied for a dramatic 8-7 comeback win in 13 innings over USC as Danny Putnam singled home Jonny Ash with two outs in the top of the 13th frame to provide the winning margin. Stanford trailed 7-3 heading into the top of the ninth before a four-run rally sent the Cardinal into extra innings for the first time in 2004. A one-out RBI single by John Mayberry, Jr. scored Jed Lowrie with the tying run in the ninth, while Ash hit a key two-run homer earlier in the inning to key the comeback. David O'Hagan picked up the win with 4.0 scoreless innings of one-hit relief and four strikeouts. Matt Manship pitched a perfect bottom of the 13th to earn the save. Jeff Stimpson also had an outstanding relief performance to keep Stanford in the game, holding USC scoreless while giving up just two hits with two strikeouts over 4.0 innings of relief. Putnam (3-5, HR, 2 RBI) and Lowrie (3-7, 2B) led Stanford's season-high 18-hit attack with three hits each. Daniel Perales (3-4, 3B, 4 RBI) led USC's offensive attack. Clayton Wentworth suffered the loss despite holding the Cardinal scoreless for his first four frames of work before allowing a run in the 13th inning. Wentworth scattered four hits and allowed just the one run with three strikeouts in 4.2 innings.
at USC 11, Stanford 8 (March 7, 2004) - A ninth inning rally by Stanford fell short at USC as the Trojans held on for an 11-8 victory to avoid a three-game non-conference sweep. Stanford trailed by four runs heading into the bottom of the ninth but was able to score a run and bring the tying run to the plate before Sam Fuld's line drive was snared by USC first baseman Joey Metropoulos to end the game. Blake Sharpe (3-4, 2B, SB) and Jeff Clement (3-5) had three hits each for the Trojans. Brian Hall (3-5, 2B, RBI), John Mayberry, Jr. (3-5, 2B) and Fuld (3-6, RBI) had three hits each for Stanford. Jonny Ash had his career-high 12-game hit streak snapped by going 0-for-3 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt. USC reliever Cole Ganser was credited with the victory after limiting Stanford to two runs and two hits with one strikeout over 3.1 innings of middle relief, while Michael Friedman earned his first collegiate save by recording the final out of the game. Stanford starter Blake Holler suffered his first collegiate loss, lasting just 2.2 innings while allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with a pair of walks and a hit batsmen.
THIS WEEK
at Stanford 3, San Francisco 1 (May 18, 2004) - Stanford extended its school record string of consecutive 40-win seasons to 10 and its home win streak to 16 with a 3-1 victory over San Francisco to snap a two-game losing skid. Four Stanford pitchers limited the Dons to one run and four hits with starter Greg Reynolds earning the victory and Matt Manship picking up the save. John Hester was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a stolen base to lead the Cardinal offense. Jed Lowrie (2-2, SB) and Chris Lewis (2-3) also had two-hit games. Armand Gaerlan (2-4) had half of the Dons' four hits to extend his school record hit streak to 24 games and also scored the team's only run. San Francisco starter Scott Cousins suffered the loss in his first collegiate start. The Cardinal finished the mid-week portion of its regular season schedule with a perfect 9-0 record in those games.
LAST SERIES
Stanford 11, at Arizona 9 (May 15, 2004) - Stanford gave up five runs in the bottom of the first inning but rallied for an 11-9 victory over Arizona. Brian Hall (2-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, SB) drove in three runs with a key third inning bases loaded triple, while Danny Putnam (3-5, RBI) continued his hot stretch by hitting safely for the 19th time in the last 20 games. Chris Lewis hit the game's only home run and drove in a pair of runs, while Jed Lowrie (2-5, RBI) had a multiple-hit game and Chris Carter picked up a pair of RBI. Mark Romanczuk (5.0 IP, 6 R, 5 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, 8 SO) picked up the victory, while David O'Hagan (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO) earned the save. Richard Mercado (3-3, 2B, RBI), Jason Donald (2-5, 3 RBI) and Jeff Van Houten (2-5, 3B) had multiple-hit contests for Arizona, while Trevor Crowe doubled and drove in three runs. Arizona starter Koley Kolberg (4.2 IP, 9 R, 8 ER, 9 H, 5 BB, 3 SO) took the loss.
at Arizona 19, Stanford 18 (May 16, 2004) - John Hardy drew a bases loaded walk on a 3-2 pitch from David O'Hagan with no outs in the bottom of the ninth to bring home pinch-runner Terrence Taylor with the game-winning run and give Arizona an unbelievable 19-18 heartbreaking victory over Stanford. Richard Mercado had tied the game earlier in the bottom of the ninth with a bases loaded three-RBI double. Stanford had scored six runs in the top of the ninth to take an 18-15 lead as Jed Lowrie (6-6, 3 2B, HR, 5 RBI, SB) hit his first career grandslam with one out to put the Cardinal ahead. Lowrie's six-hit game was the first of his career, while his five RBI was a career-high and his three doubles tied a career-best. Stanford homered seven times in the game as Chris Carter (2-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI) recorded the second two-homer game of his career, while John Mayberry, Jr. (3-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB), Danny Putnam (2-5, HR, 4 RBI), Donny Lucy (1-6 HR, 3 RBI) and Sam Fuld (1-5, HR, RBI, SB) also went deep for the Cardinal. Trevor Crowe (4-4, 2 2B, 2 3B, 5 RBI) and Derek Decater (4-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI, SB) had four hits each for Arizona, while Moises Duran (3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI), Jason Donald (3-6, RBI) and Jeff Van Houten (3-6, 2 RBI) posted three-hit games. John Hardy (2-6, HR, 4 RBI) hit Arizona's only home run, while Jordan Brown (2-6) also had a pair of hits and Mercado (1-3, 2B, 3 RBI) drove in three runs with his ninth inning double. All 19 players that had at least one official at bat in the game had at least one hit as the teams combined for 37 runs on 42 hits, while drawing 12 walks and being hit by a pair of pitches. Arizona reliever Derek Rodriguez got his first win of the season despite allowing four runs (three earned), while O'Hagan took his first loss of the campaign by giving up four runs without recording an out in the ninth.
at Arizona 9, Stanford 2 (May 17, 2004) - Stanford lost its second straight game for the first time in 2004 with an 11-2 loss at Arizona in the rubber match of a three-game series. Arizona starter John Meloan earned the victory, allowing just two runs while spreading out 10 hits and three walks with seven strikeouts over 8.0 innings. Brad Mills (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) recorded the final three outs. Stanford's Chris Carter (4-4, RBI) picked up the first four-hit game of his career, while Chris Minaker (2-5, RBI) and Sam Fuld (2-5, RBI) also had multiple-hit games for the Cardinal. Fuld and Danny Putnam both extended their hit streaks to nine with Fuld also breaking the all-time Pac-10 and Stanford records for at bats during the contest. Stanford starter Matt Leva suffered the loss while making his first Pac-10 start, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
STANFORD RETURNS TO NO. 1 IN ALL FOUR NATIONAL POLLS
Stanford returned to the top spot in all four of the major national collegiate baseball polls -- Baseball America's, Collegiate Baseball, NCBWA, Sports Weekly/ESPN released Monday, May 17. Stanford has been the nation's unanimous No. 1 team for four weeks (March 22-29, May 3, May 17) this season and the No. 1 team in the Baseball America poll for a total of nine weeks (February 23 - April 5, May 3, May 17). Stanford has been ranked No. 1 at some point in the season for seven of the last eight campaigns. The Cardinal had a string of six consecutive seasons (1997-2002) with a top ranking going but never reached the top of the Baseball America poll in 2003. However, Stanford did finish the 2003 season ranked second in all four polls.
CARDINAL EXTENDS RECORD STRING OF 40-WIN SEASONS TO 10
Stanford has extended its school record string of 40-win seasons to 10. The last time Stanford didn't win 40 games was when the club finished 27-28 in 1993.
ANOTHER WINNING SEASON
Stanford's 40 wins already assure the Cardinal of a winning season for the 11th straight year, the 39th time in the last 40 seasons and the 56th time in the last 58 campaigns. The only two seasons the Cardinal has not won more games than it has lost in the last 58 years were in 1964 (20-24) and 1993 (27-28).
STANFORD FALLS TO SECOND-PLACE IN THE PAC-10
After losing two-of-three games in back-to-back series at Washington (May 7-9) and at Arizona (May 16-18), Stanford has fallen into second-place in the Pac-10. The Cardinal has a 12-6 conference record and trails first-place Washington (14-7 Pac-10) by a half-game but still has the fewest losses of any team in the league. UCLA and Arizona State both have 10-8 league marks and are tied for third, while Arizona sits in fifth at 9-9. USC is sixth at 8-10, followed by Oregon State (7-11), California (8-13) and Washington State (6-12).
TOP OF THE PAC
Stanford has won 19 conference championships and 17 Pac-10 crowns in school history (includes Southern Division and shared titles). The Cardinal won its most recent Pac-10 crown in 2003 when the club finished with an 18-6 conference mark. Stanford had finished second in the league standings behind two-time defending conference champion USC in 2001 and 2002 prior to its previous Pac-10 title when it shared the championship with Arizona State and UCLA in 2000. Stanford has been among the top two in the conference standings (includes Pac-10 Southern Division) for 10 straight seasons and 21 times in the last 23 years. Stanford was picked as the favorite in the 2004 Preseason Pac-10 Coaches Poll, notching seven first-place votes. Arizona State and Arizona each garnered one first-place vote, while finishing second and third in the poll. USC, Washington, California, UCLA, Oregon State and Washington State rounded out the poll.
STANFORD DROPS BACK-TO-BACK SERIES
Stanford's back-to-back two-of-three series losses at Washington (May 7-9) and at Arizona (May 16-18) marks the first time the Cardinal has lost two consecutive regular season three-game series since being swept at Cal State Fullerton (January 31 - February 2) and dropping two-of-three to Florida State (February 7-9, 2003) at Sunken Diamond in the first two three-game series of last season. Stanford had won its first 11 three-game series this year and had built a regular season three-game series win streak of 15 (Stanford did split a two-game series with Sacramento State from April 23-24, 2004). Stanford has still won 23 of its last 26 regular season three-game series overall, including eight straight at home.
LOWRIE LOOKING FOR NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS
Jed Lowrie has become a legitimate candidate for National Player of the Year honors, appearing on a pair of high-profile Player of the Year Watch lists (Baseball America, USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award. Most recently, Lowrie was named as one of 30 national semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy, given annually by the NCBWA to the top player in college baseball. Lowrie leads the club in nearly every offensive category; including home runs (16, #1 Pac-10, #16 NCAA), RBI (63, #1T Pac-10, #10T NCAA), runs scored (63, #1T Pac-10, #10T NCAA), doubles (18, #3 Pac-10), triples (4, co-team leader, #5T Pac-10), total bases (154, #1 Pac-10), slugging percentage (.794, #1 Pac-10, #4 NCAA), on-base percentage (.512, #2 Pac-10), bases on balls (40, #5 Pac-10), sacrifice flies (5, co-team leader, #4T Pac-10) and multiple-RBI games (18). He is also second on the club in hits (80, #3 Pac-10) and multiple-hit games (24), while stealing six bases. Defensively, he has made just seven errors in his 227 defensive chances for a .969 fielding percentage while starting all 50 games at either second base (42) or shortstop (8). Lowrie earned NCBWA Co-Hitter of the Week honors on March 2.
ROMANCZUK ESTABLISHING HIMSELF AS ONE OF NATION'S TOP PITCHERS
Mark Romanczuk, who appears on the Roger Clemens Award Watch list for the nation's top pitcher, leads the team in wins (10-1, co-Pac-10 leader), strikeouts (82, #6 Pac-10) and innings pitched (91.2, #3T Pac-10), while posting a 3.93 ERA that is the best among Cardinal starters. Romanczuk has a 22-3 all-time record at Stanford for an .880 won-loss percentage that ranks fourth on Stanford's all-time list. Romanczuk picked up Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week honors for the fourth time in his career and the first time this season on March 9.
HALL, LUCY, MAYBERRY, O'HAGAN AND PUTNAM ALSO IN LINE FOR ALL-AMERICAN RECOGNITION
Brian Hall, Donny Lucy, John Mayberry, Jr., David O'Hagan and Danny Putnam look to be next in line for All-American recognition.
FULD ON SEVERAL ALL-TIME STANFORD LISTS
Sam Fuld has become the all-time Stanford and Pac-10 leader in runs scored (258) and at bats (1032), while also ranking second on Stanford's all-time hit (345) as he is now within 23 hits of all-time Stanford and Pac-10 hit leader John Gall (368, 1997-2000). He is also among Stanford's all-time leaders in games played (250, #3), triples (16, #3T) and doubles (58, #6T), while posting a career .334 batting average.
SAMMY'S STREAKS
Sam Fuld has played in 243 consecutive Stanford games and has not played in only two contests during his Cardinal career, both near the beginning of his 2001 freshman campaign (January 26, at Fresno State; February 10, Florida State). Fuld has also started 160 consecutive games for the Cardinal since the last time his name was not on the starting lineup card versus Texas on March 29, 2002.
ROMANCZUK WINS 22ND CAREER GAME
Mark Romanczuk's latest victory at Arizona (May 15) was the 22nd of his career. He needs just four three more wins to reach the school's all-time Top 10 list and is already ranked fourth all-time at Stanford in career won-loss percentage (22-3, .880).
O'HAGAN SIXTH ON ALL-TIME WON-LOSS PERCENTAGE LIST
David O'Hagan's career 12-2 record ranks him sixth on Stanford's all-time won-loss percentage list (minimum 10 decisions). O'Hagan didn't pick up his first decision until his junior season when he was 7-1 with three saves and a 4.89 ERA. This season, he has a 5-1 record, six saves and a 2.82 ERA (#2 Pac-10). O'Hagan has struck out 52 batters in 51.0 innings over a team co-leading 19 appearances out of the bullpen as opponents are hitting a Pac-10 low .182 against him.
HALL, PUTNAM, CARTER, LOWRIE AND LUCY PUTTING UP BIG PAC-10 NUMBERS
Brian Hall, Danny Putnam, Chris Carter, Jed Lowrie and Donny Lucy have put up big numbers in Pac-10 action. Hall is hitting .500 (35-70) with five homers, 23 RBI and five stolen bases with a .800 slugging percentage and a .550 on-base mark. Putnam is hitting .437 (31-71) with eight homers, 25 RBI and a pair of stolen bases to go with an .859 slugging percentage and a .540 on-base mark. Carter is hitting .421 (21-50) with five homers and 18 RBI in just 14 Pac-10 games, adding a .780 slugging percentage. Lowrie is hitting .403 (31-77) with four homers, 17 RBI and 2 SB). He also has a .688 slugging percentage and a .489 on-base mark. Lucy is hitting .354 with seven homers, 20 RBI and a stolen base to go with a .723 slugging percentage.
HOME SWEET HOME
Stanford is in the midst of a seven-game homestand to end the regular season. The Cardinal has a current 16-game win streak at Sunken Diamond (Texas, February 22; Cal Poly, March 26-28; Santa Clara, April 13; California, April 16-18; Saint Mary's, April 20; Sacramento State, April 23; Washington State, April 30 - May 2; San Jose State, April 4; Santa Clara, April 11; San Francisco, April 18). Stanford is 23-1 at Sunken Diamond this year and has won 32 of its last 33 contests at home dating back to a nine-game home win streak to end last season that reached 16 games when the Cardinal won its first seven home contests this season before Texas came up with a 9-6 victory over the Cardinal on February 21 to salvage one game of a three-game series. Stanford's school record home win streak is 27 from April 30, 1982 - April 15, 1983.
STANFORD JUST 5-7 IN LAST 12 REGULAR SEASON ROAD GAMES
Stanford struggled to a 5-7 record in its final 12 regular season road games of 2004. The Cardinal lost the final game of a three-game set at UCLA (April 4), won two-of-three at Oregon State (April 8-10), fell at Sacramento State (April 24) and won at Santa Clara (April 27) before dropping two-of-three in back-to-back series at Washington (May 7-9) and Arizona (May 15-17).
CARDINAL 63-14 IN LAST 77 GAMES OVERALL
Stanford has a 63-14 mark in its last 77 games overall. The Cardinal was 23-4 in its final 27 games last year and is 40-10 this season.
MULTIPLE-HIT MADNESS
Stanford has seven players with at least 16 multiple-hit games this season. Danny Putnam has a team-high 27 multiple-hit contests, followed by Led Lowrie (24), Brian Hall (21), John Mayberry, Jr. (18), Donny Lucy (17), Sam Fuld (17) and Jonny Ash (16).
BACK-TO-BACK JACKS
Stanford has hit back-to-back home runs five times this season, including four times since April 10. John Mayberry, Jr. has been a part of the first four. Danny Putnam and Mayberry hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning at Fresno State (February 7). Mayberry and Donny Lucy then went back-to-back in the eighth inning at Oregon State (April 10). Jed Lowrie and Mayberry were next with back-to-back jacks in the first inning versus Sacramento State (April 23). Most recently, the Cardinal hit a pair of back-to-back homers as part of its season-high eight-homer game versus Washington State (May 2). Mayberry and Putnam hit them in the third inning, before Brian Hall and Chris Carter did it again in the sixth.
LOWRIE AND MAYBERRY SELECTED FOR 2004 NATIONAL TEAM TRIALS
Jed Lowrie and John Mayberry, Jr. have been named as two of 19 invitees to the 2004 USA Baseball National Team Trials to be held June 20-26 in Durham, North Carolina. The USA Baseball National Team will be selected from a pool of 36 players, of which an additional 17 have yet to be determined. The official 20-player team roster will be determined and announced on June 27. Stanford has produced 22 members of the USA National Baseball Team in the history of the squad, more than any other collegiate baseball program in the nation. Three current Stanford players - Sam Fuld (2001, '02), Mark Romanczuk (2003) and Danny Putnam (2003) - have participated with Team USA.
A CHANCE TO WIN
Stanford's pitching staff has given the Cardinal a chance to win all season, holding opponents to five or less runs in 35 of 50 games. The staff's best run was from April 9-24 when the staff held its opponents to five or fewer runs for a string of nine consecutive games.
DOUBLE YOUR FUN
Stanford has had double-digit hits in 38 of its 50 games this season but in only four of its last eight games. The Cardinal put together a string of 12 straight double-digit hit games at one point (at UCLA, April 2-4; at Oregon State, April 8-10; Santa Clara, April 13; California, April 16-18; Saint Mary's, April 20; Sacramento State, April 23) before being held to its second-lowest total of the year with just four in a 2-1 loss at Sacramento State (April 24). Stanford responded with double-digit hits in five consecutive contests (at Santa Clara, April 27; Washington State, April 30 - May 2; San Jose State, May 4). Over the last eight games, the Cardinal has managed double-digit hit efforts at Washington (May 8) and in all three games at Arizona (May 15-17).
THE NEW NINE
Nine players have made their first appearances in a game for the Cardinal this season. Blake Holler (4-2, 4.50, 2 SV, 54.0 IP, 45 SO) made eight consecutive starts as a member of the rotation at one point. Jeff Stimpson has become one of the team's top relievers, posting a 1-2 record with a save and a 4.55 ERA to go with 22 strikeouts in 31.2 innings, while opponents are hitting just .252 against him. Jim Rapoport has played in 28 games with 12 starts, contributing a .241 batting average, one triple and nine RBI. Adam Sorgi has started 18 games and appeared in 28, hitting .214 with one double and five RBI. Ryan Seawell has 11 hits in his first 34 collegiate at bats for a .323 batting average in 18 games and six starts, while also contributing two doubles, seven RBI and a stolen base. Greg Reynolds is 4-1 with a 5.96 ERA in 25.2 innings over 10 appearances and five starts, including wins in his first collegiate appearance (March 23) and his first collegiate start (April 20) versus Saint Mary's, as well his first Pac-10 start versus Washington State (May 2). Matt Leva has a 4-1 record and a 4.64 ERA in 11 appearances and four starts, including his first career Pac-10 start at Arizona (May 17). Ben Summerhays is hitting .167 with two hits in 12 at bats over 10 games played off the bench. Former student manager Cameron Matthews has played in eight games, scoring three runs and walking in his first career plate appearance versus Sacramento State (April 23).
COMEBACK CREW
Stanford has come from behind at some point in 16 of its 38 victories this season, coming back in three of the eight games it has trailed heading into the ninth frame. Most recently, the Cardinal scored a run in the ninth inning at Santa Clara (April 27) to force extra innings before eventually winning 12-8 in 14 frames. Stanford has also come back to win games when trailing by three or more runs heading into the eighth inning on three occasions. Brian Hall provided one of the most dramatic moments of the season when his first career grandslam capped a seven-run Stanford ninth inning rally for a 10-6 victory over Kansas (February 15). Stanford trailed 7-3 at USC (March 6) before scoring four times in the top of the ninth inning to extend the game into extra innings and eventually taking home an 8-7 win in 13 frames. The Cardinal trailed 7-4 after seven innings at Oregon State (April 8) before scoring three runs in the eighth to tie the game and four more times in the ninth to win the contest.
WINNING BY A BUNCH
Despite having to come from behind in 17 of its 40 wins, 32 of the team's victories have come by three runs or more and the Cardinal is 22-2 in games decided by five or more runs. Stanford has outscored its opponents by a count of 438-236 and is averaging 8.8 runs per contest, compared to just 4.7 for its opponents.
TOUGH ONES
Stanford's 40-10 record might be even a little better if the Cardinal could have mustered more success in close games. Stanford is just 2-5 in games decided by one run and has lost each of the last five one-run games it has played in. The Cardinal has a pair of one-run 8-7 wins versus Cal State Fullerton (January 31) and at USC (March 6 - 13 inn.) but has since lost five heartbreakers at UCLA (6-5, April 2), at Oregon State (5-4, April 8), at Sacramento State (2-1, April 24), at Washington (3-2 - 10 innings, May 7) and at Arizona (19-18, May 16). The team's biggest margin of defeat was in its most recent loss when Arizona handed the Cardinal an 11-2 defeat on May 17.
ERRORLESS EFFORTS
Stanford has played errorless baseball in 20 of its first 50 games this season, including a string of five straight errorless games from January 31 - February 8; three in a row in a series at California (February 27-29); three straight against Cal Poly (March 28), San Jose State (March 30) and UCLA (April 2); a string of three in a row versus California (April 18), Saint Mary's (April 20) and Sacramento State (April 23); in the first and third games of a series against Washington State (April 30, May 2); against Santa Clara (May 11); at Arizona (May 16); and in its most recent contest versus San Francisco (May 18). Stanford is currently leading the Pac-10 with a .975 fielding percentage that would rank second on the school's all-time list, just two percentage points behind the school record .977 mark posted by the 2001 club.
STANFORD HOSTS ARIZONA STATE NEXT WEEK TO CONCLUDE REGULAR SEASON
Stanford will host Arizona State in a three-game series to conclude its regular season next Friday-Sunday, May 28-30 (6 pm, 1 pm, 1 pm, PDT). Stanford leads the all-time series by a slim 78-77 count. Last year, the Cardinal won two-of-three games at Arizona State in a hotly contested Pac-10 opening series that included a pair of extra-inning contests. Stanford dropped the first game of the series in 11 frames, 7-6, before rebounding for a 9-8 win in 10 innings and a 4-2 victory to win the series. Stanford also won two-of-three in the previous two series (May 10-12, 2003, at Stanford, CA; W, 5-3; L, 2-10; W, 3-1 ... March 30 - April 1, 2002, at Tempe, AZ; W, 6-2; W, 5-2; L, 5-6). Arizona State's last series victory over the Cardinal came from March 31 - April 2 in Tempe when the Sun Devils took two-of-three (W, 5-1; L, 6-10; L, 6-11).
OFFENSIVE REPORT
Stanford has averaged 8.8 runs per contest, while hitting a Pac-10 leading .330 through its first 50 games. Stanford has been even better in Pac-10 action, hitting .361 in 18 conference contests and averaging 9.2 runs per game. The team also has 44 of its 84 homers in its 18 conference games. National Player of the Year candidate Jed Lowrie leads the club in nearly every offensive category; including home runs (16, #1 Pac-10, #16 NCAA), RBI (63, #1T Pac-10, #10T NCAA), runs scored (63, #1T Pac-10, #10T NCAA), doubles (18, #3 Pac-10), triples (4, co-team leader, #5T Pac-10), total bases (154, #1 Pac-10), slugging percentage (.794, #1 Pac-10, #4 NCAA), on-base percentage (.512, #2 Pac-10), bases on balls (40, #5 Pac-10), sacrifice flies (5, co-team leader, #4T Pac-10) and multiple-RBI games (18). He is also second on the club in hits (80, #3 Pac-10) and multiple-hit games (24), while stealing six bases. Danny Putnam leads the squad in hits (82, #2 Pac-10) and multiple-hit games (27), while ranking second in batting average (.392, #3 Pac-10, #42 NCAA), home runs (14, #2 Pac-10), runs scored (57, #4 Pac-10, #26 NCAA), total bases (138, #2 Pac-10), slugging percentage (.660, #2 Pac-10) and on-base percentage (.469, #5 Pac-10), as well as tied for second in RBI (50, #4T Pac-10). Putnam is on a current 10-game hit streak (5/2 - 5/18; .500, 20-40, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 1 SB) and has hit safely in 22 of his last 23 games, beginning with a career-high 12-game hit streak (4/8 - 4/30; .449, 22-49, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 3 SB). Brian Hall leads the team in stolen bases (12, #5 Pac-10), triples (4, co-team leader, #5T Pac-10) and sacrifice bunts (5, co-team leader), while ranking second in doubles (12), as well as tied for second in RBI (50, #4T Pac-10), third in hits (71, #5T Pac-10), fourth in batting average (.364, #6 Pac-10) and fifth in homers (9, #10T Pac-10). Donny Lucy has developed into one of the top catchers in the nation and is hitting .329 with 11 homers (#5T Pac-10), 42 RBI and five stolen bases. John Mayberry, Jr. shares the team lead in sacrifice flies (5), while ranking second on the club in stolen bases (9, #8T Pac-10) and tied for second in RBI (50, #4T Pac-10), as well as third in homers (13, #3 Pac-10) and slugging percentage (.627, #4 Pac-10), while hitting .345. Jonny Ash is fourth on the squad in batting average (.374). Ryan Seawell (.324, 7 RBI, SB), John Hester (.308, 7 RBI, 2 SB) and Chris Carter (.303, 8 HR, 35 RBI, SB) are also above the .300 mark. Stanford has set season-highs with 18 runs scored at Santa Clara (March 23) and at Arizona, 21 hits versus Sacramento State (April 23), eight home runs versus Washington State (May 2) and five stolen bases at Sacramento State (April 24). Stanford has scored in double figures 22 times and has 10 or more hits in 38 of its first 50 games.
PITCHING REPORT
Stanford leads the Pac-10 with a 4.31 ERA and has allowed five or fewer runs in 35 of its 50 contests, including a nine-game streak (April 9-24). Mark Romanczuk leads the club and co-leads the Pac-10 in victories (10-1), while also pacing the team in strikeouts (82, #6 Pac-10), innings pitched (91.2, #3T Pac-10) and games started (14, co-leader, #5T Pac-10). Romanczuk also has the lowest ERA (3.93, #8 Pac-10) among starters. Jeff Gilmore is 8-2 with a 4.89 ERA and co-leads the team with 14 games started, while ranking second in innings pitched (84.2, #8 Pac-10) and third in strikeouts (55). David O'Hagan has been stellar out of the bullpen with a 5-1 record and six saves, while leading the team and ranking second in the Pac-10 with a 2.82 ERA. O'Hagan has also posted an opponents' batting average of just .182 that leads the Pac-10. He has struck out 52 batters in 51.0 innings and co-leads the Cardinal with 19 appearances. Freshmen Blake Holler (4-2, 4.50), Matt Leva (4-1, 4.64), Greg Reynolds (4-1, 5.96) have contributed four wins each, while Jonny Dyer (1-0, 4.82), Drew Ehrlich (1-0, 3.65), Mark Jecmen (1-0, 5.40), Kodiak Quick (1-0, 3.15) and Jeff Stimpson (1-2, 4.55) have one each. Matt Manship has added three saves, while Holler has two. Dyer, Gilmore and Quick have one each.
DEFENSIVE REPORT
Stanford leads the Pac-10 with a .975 fielding percentage, which would rank second on the school's all-time list and just two percentage points behind the school record of .977 posted by the 2001 club. Stanford has played errorless baseball in 20 of its first 50 games. The Cardinal made just three errors in its first eight games as its fielding percentage reached as high as .991 after a five-game errorless string (January 31 - February 8). Stanford also played an errorless contest versus Kansas (2/14), as well as three straight errorless contests with a perfect defensive series at California (March 27-29), three more in consecutive games versus Cal Poly (March 28), San Jose State (March 30) and UCLA (April 2), three in a row against California (April 18), Saint Mary's (April 20) and Sacramento State (April 23), and in the first and third games of its most recent series versus Washington State (April 30, May 2). John Mayberry, Jr. leads the club with 427 putouts (#2 Pac-10) and has made just three errors in his team-high 447 defensive chances (#2 Pac-10) for a .993 fielding percentage. Mayberry also had a single-game team-high of 17 putouts at USC (3/6). Jed Lowrie has a team-high 143 assists (#5 Pac-10) and has made just seven errors in his first 227 defensive chances and 50 starts at either second base (42) or shortstop (8) for a .969 fielding percentage. Jonny Ash and Adam Sorgi had team-high-tying seven-assist games versus Cal State Fullerton (2/1) and Cal Poly (3/27), respectively. Stanford has turned 41 double plays this season, including a season-high three at Fresno State (2/8), versus Kansas (2/15) and versus Texas (2/22).
STANFORD HAS PICKED UP THREE 50-WIN SEASONS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS
Stanford has won 50 or more games in three of the last four years to run its total of 50-win campaigns in school history to six. The Cardinal won a school record 59 contests in 1990. The 1987 CWS championship squad posted 53 victories, while the 2001 and 2003 teams picked up 51 wins. The Cardinal won an even 50 games in 1999 and 2000.
2004 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN HONORS
Four Stanford players have earned 2004 Preseason All-American honors. Sam Fuld picked up a pair of First Team honors (Baseball America, NCBWA), as well as Second Team (Baseball America) and honorable mention (CollegeBaseballInsider.com). John Mayberry, Jr. earned Second Team recognition from Baseball America. Danny Putnam was a First Team selection by Baseball America and CollegeBaseballInsider.com, as well as Third Team NCBWA selection, while Mark Romanczuk was named a Third Team Preseason All-American by Baseball America and the NCBWA and received honorable mention recognition from CollegeBaseballInsider.com.
WEEKLY EMAIL LIST
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STANFORD HEAD COACH MARKMARQUESS
One of the nation's premier collegiate coaches and the winningest coaching in Stanford Baseball history, Mark Marquess is in his 28th season at the helm of the Cardinal in 2004 with a 1184-561-5 (.678) record in 1746 career games, as well as even more impressive marks in the postseason (105-46, .695) and Pac-10 (474-300, .612). Marquess entered the 2004 season ranked 19th on the NCAA's all-time Division I victory list and 46th on the all-time winning percentage list for Division I coaches. For active coaches, he began the season ninth in victories and 15th in winning percentage. He became the 23rd coach in the history of NCAA Division I baseball to reach the 1000-win mark with a victory over Florida State on February 9, 2001. Just over two years later, he picked up win No. 1100 versus Nevada on February 17, 2003. He won his 100th career postseason game in Stanford's NCAA Super Regional clinching victory over Long Beach State (6/7/03). The 1969 Stanford graduate has led the Cardinal to two CWS titles and three runner-up showings in five CWS championship appearances, as well as 13 College World Series trips, five NCAA Super Regional titles, 13 NCAA Regional championships and 11 Pac-10 crowns (includes Southern Division and shared titles). Stanford has also qualified for the NCAA Tournament 21 times in the first 27 years under Marquess. He has been named NCAA Coach of the Year three times and has received Pac-10 or Pac-10 Southern Division Coach of the Year honors on nine occasions, most recently with his selection in 2003. The Cardinal has already wrapped up its 27th winning campaign in 28 seasons under his leadership in 2004. Stanford has finished either first or second in the prestigious Pacific-10 (formerly Pac-10 Southern Division) 21 times in the last 23 years. Stanford has had 112 players drafted by professional baseball in the past 19 seasons, including 14 first round selections in the last 17 years. A member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Marquess was the head coach of the 1988 United States Olympic baseball team that captured the gold medal. Marquess was also an accomplished football and baseball standout on The Farm and is a member of the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame. He is one of only six collegiate baseball head coaches to have both played and coached in the College World Series. Marquess was the starting first baseman and a First Team All-American on Stanford's 1967 CWS squad and played four seasons of minor league baseball with the Chicago White Sox organization.
COMMENTS FROM MARKMARQUESS
(on USC)
"USC has struggled this year but Coach (Mike) Gillespie does a great job and they have a great baseball tradition. They will play well against us in this series. They have some veteran players that know how to play. It's a big weekend for us and as close as we are with Washington in the Pac-10 race, we need to win every game we can."
(on returning home for the final six games of the regular season)
"It's a better to be at home than on the road, because you are just more comfortable at home than on the road. We have obviously played very well at home this year, but it has more to do with just playing well. Whether you're at home or on the road, you just have to play well."
(on the importance of the Pac-10 title)
"It's very important and difficult to achieve. We take pride in it. It's one our top goals."
STANFORD COACHING STAFF
Dean Stotz is in his 28th campaign with Stanford Baseball and his fifth season as associate head coach after he was promoted to the position prior to the 2000 campaign. Stotz served for 23 years as an assistant. Stotz currently coaches third base while also handling various offensive and defensive aspects of the game. Tom Kunis is in his fifth season as Stanford's pitching coach, while Dave Nakama is in his fifth year overall as a Stanford assistant coach.
STANFORD BASEBALL HISTORY
Now in its 111th season, Stanford's storied baseball program has had many highlights since the program began in 1892 ... Stanford has won two NCAA titles (1987, `88) and made 15 appearances in the College World Series, also finishing as the runner-up on three occasions (2000, `01, `03) ... Stanford has also won five NCAA Super Regional titles ... Stanford has qualified for the NCAA Tournament 24 times ... Stanford has won 19 conference championships ... Stanford has already wrapped up its 39th winning season in the last 40 campaigns and its 56th in the last 58 years in 2004 ... Stanford has won 50 or more games four times in the last five years and six times in school history ... Stanford has won 40 or more games in a school record nine consecutive years and 18 times in school history ... Stanford has an all-time record of 2415-1492-32 (.617) in 3939 contests ... A total of 70 former Stanford players have became Major League Baseball players with eight participating in the Major Leagues thus far in 2004 (Eric Bruntlett - Houston Astros; Brian Dallimore - San Francisco Giants; Jody Gerut - Cleveland Indians; Jeffrey Hammonds - San Francisco Giants; Dave McCarty - Boston Red Sox; Mike Mussina - New York Yankees; Justin Wayne - Florida Marlins; Jason Young - Colorado Rockies) ... Dallimore was the most recent to make his MLB debut in 2004 with San Francisco ... Stanford has also had 14 players selected in the first round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft in the last 17 years ... Stanford has boasted 44 All-Americans that have combined to win 54 All-American honors ... Stanford has garnered three NCAA Players of the Year in Jeff Austin (1998), David McCarty (1991) and Steve Dunning (1970) ... Stanford has had an even 100 players earn a combined 133 All-Conference honors ... Six Stanford players earned All-Pac-10 honors in each of the last two seasons, breaking the previous mark of five previously set in 1985, `90 and `94.