Stanford Closes 2007 Season At USC Sunday

May 27, 2007

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CURRENT SERIES (STANFORD 2-0)
Friday, May 25 - Stanford 10, at USC 7 (11)

Saturday, May 26 (1:30 pm, PT) - Stanford 20, at USC 13

Sunday, May 27 (1 pm, PT) - RHP Austin Yount (2-1, 6.44) vs. LHP Tommy Milone (3-6, 5.85)
Live Game Coverage: Gametracker | Webcast (PC Only)

STANFORD-USC SERIES HISTORY
All-Time Series: USC 209-162-3
2007 Results: Series - Stanford 3-2 (Non-Conference at Stanford, March 9-11) - USC 11-8, USC 2-1, Stanford 14-9; (Conference at USC, May 25-26) - Stanford 10-7 (11) | Stanford 20-13
2006 Results: Series - USC 4-2 (Non-Conference at USC, March 10-12) - Stanford 7-6, USC 16-7, USC 7-2; (Conference at Stanford, April 1DH-2) - Stanford 9-7 (DH Game 1), USC 3-2 (DH Game 2), USC 6-1
Current Game Win Streak: Stanford - 3 (March 11 - May 26, 2007)
Current Series Win Streak: Stanford - 1 (May 25-27, 2007)
Current Regular Season Series Win Streak: USC - 1 (2006)
Series Notes: Stanford has won three in a row over USC and wrapped up its current series after having previously lost four straight games and series to USC. Prior to USC's four-series win streak against the Cardinal, Stanford had been dominating the action between the two clubs. The Cardinal had won the previous seven regular season three-game sets as well as eight straight season series from 1997-2004 while posting a 41-14 record in 55 games against the Trojans beginning with the 1997 season and running through the first series of 2005.

RED HOT: FIVE IN A ROW, EIGHT-OF-NINE
Stanford is currently playing some of its best baseball of the season with a current win streak of five in a row that is its second longest of the season as well as victories in eight of its last nine games. The Cardinal started the stretch with a three-game win streak before suffering its only loss of the nine-game stretch in the opener of a three-game series versus Pacific (May 18). Stanford's longest win streak of the season came with a season-high eight in a row from February 18 - March 4.

A LOT ON THE LINE TODAY
Stanford can finish an even .500 (28-28) and extend its string of .500 plus seasons to 14 in a row by winning at USC today. Stanford's last losing season came when the club was 27-28 and failed to qualify for the postseason in 1993. Stanford and USC are currently tied for last place in the Pac-10. Today's winner would avoid finishing in the conference cellar, while the loser will be last in the Pac-10. Stanford has finished at the bottom of the Pac-10 just twice in 30 previous seasons under current head coach Mark Marquess, tying for fifth in a six-team league with a 13-17 conference record in 1979 and taking sixth of six teams with a 10-20 mark in 1993.

THREE SERIES IN A ROW
Stanford has now won three series in a row after taking the first two games of its current three-game set versus USC. The three-series win streak is Stanford's longest of the season and its first since the Cardinal won three series in a row versus Arizona and California, and at Washington from April 28 - May 14, 2006

RUBBER GAME WIN STREAK
Stanford has been victorious in each of its last two series rubber games versus Washington (May 13) and Pacific (May 20) after losing its first three rubber game of the campaign. Stanford played rubber games in five consecutive three-game series from April 20 - May 20 after having not playing any in its first nine.

PLAYING WELL ON CAMERA
Stanford has won each of its last three TV games over Oregon State (April 28, FSN), at Washington State (May 5, FSN Northwest) and versus Washington (May 13, CSTV) after losing its first two TV games of the campaign at Arizona State (April 7, FSN Arizona) and versus Oregon State (April 27, CSTV). Stanford does not have any of its remaining regular season scheduled to be televised.

SERIES-OPENER PROBLEMS
Stanford won just two series-openers in its eight Pac-10 series this season and was just 5-11 overall in series-openers.

WINNING MONTH OF MAY
Stanford has wrapped up its second winning month of the season in May and now has an 8-5 record during the month with just two games (May 26-27) remaining on the schedule. Stanford's winning month is its second of the season as the Cardinal was 7-5 in February.

HOT BATS GOING FOR .300
Stanford's late season hitting surge has raised the Cardinal's team batting average over the .300 mark for the first time all season at .302 as Stanford is looking to finish a season hitting .300 or better for the first time since 2004. Stanford has a current streak of 10 straight double digit hit games and has 19 double digit hit games in its last 21 contests. The team has raised its season batting average 31 points during the 21-game span by hitting .346 during the stretch with Adam Sorgi (.419, 36-86, 7 2B, 1 3B, 18 RBI) the club's top hitter during the period.

FIFTH ALL-TIME WINNINGEST PROGRAM
Stanford is the fifth all-time winningest program in college baseball history with a record of 2517-1578-32 (.614) in 4127 games over 114 seasons including 2007. Fordham, Texas, USC and Michigan are the top four.

WINNING THE CLOSE ONES
Stanford is 7-3 in one-run games and a perfect 4-0 in extra-inning contests. Stanford has played two consecutive extra-inning games.

DAY AND NIGHT
Stanford is a respectable 21-15 during day games and has won five in a row during the day but is just 6-13 at night. Stanford had a nine-game losing streak in night games until winning at Santa Clara on May 15.

TEAM STATS
OFFENSE - Stanford's offense is its most improved area as the Cardinal has moved up to tied for third in the Pac-10 in hits (599), fifth in batting average (.302), sixth in home runs (42) and sixth in runs scored (349). Stanford is still last in the conference with 27 stolen bases.
PITCHING - Stanford has an uncharacteristically high 6.03 ERA that is last in the Pac-10 and 67 points higher than the highest ERA in the school's recorded history when the 1979 pitching staff posted a 5.36 mark. The team's .314 opponents' batting average is also last in the Pac-10.
FIELDING - Stanford also ranks last in the Pac-10 in fielding percentage (.962). The Cardinal has at least one error in each of its last eight contests.

TEAM LEADERS
OFFENSE - Sean Ratliff leads or co-leads the squad in several categories, including homers (12, co-leader, #5T Pac-10), hits (77), runs scored (60, #3T Pac-10), triples (4, co-leader, #5T Pac-10), at bats (228, #5 Pac-10), total bases (133, #6T Pac-10) and slugging percentage (.583). Michael Taylor co-leads the team in homers (12, #5T Pac-10) and paces the club in RBI (55) while equaling Ratliff in games played (54) and games started (54). Adam Sorgi is the team-leader in both batting average (.374) and on-base percentage (.452). Sorgi will officially qualify for the Pac-10 and NCAA stat leaders by reaching the required 75% of the team's games if he plays in today's season finale at USC. Other offensive team leaders or co-leaders include Cord Phelps (15 2B, #9T Pac-10; 4 3B, co-leader; 22 BB), Ryan Seawell (8 HBP), Brent Milleville (4 SF) and Joey August (5 SAC).
PITCHING - Nolan Gallagher (5-6, 7.39, 63.1 IP, 47 SO) leads the team with five wins. Jeffrey Inman (4-4, 5.74, 73.2 IP, 62 SO) paces the clubs in strikeout, while Jeremy Bleich (2-8, 5.56, 98.2 IP, 60 SO) has the team lead in innings pitched (#9 Pac-10) and starts (16, #7T Pac-10). Bleich, Gallagher and Inman all have one of the team's three complete games each, while Gallagher has the team's only shutout. David Stringer (3-2, 4.70, 7 SV, 56.2 IP, 38 SO) paces the club in ERA, appearances (31) and saves (7), ranking second and eighth in the Pac-10 in those two categories. Stringer's 31 appearances are also tied for fifth on the school's all-time single-season list.

CURRENT SERIES STATS (USC)
OFFENSE - Stanford has averaged an incredible 15.0 runs per game in its first two contests of its current series versus USC and is hitting a blistering .398. Stanford has also shown its power with 10 extra-base hits (4 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR). The Cardinal has six players -- Randy Molina (.667, 2-3, RBI), Sean Ratliff (.600, 6-10, 5 RBI, SB), Joey August (.500, 6-12, RBI), Brian Juhl (.455, 5-11, HR, 3 RBI), Cord Phelps (.417, 5-12, RBI) and Michael Taylor (.417, 5-12, 2 HR, 7 RBI) --- hitting over .400.
PITCHING - Stanford has a high ERA of 8.10 in the first two games of the series. Nolan Gallagher (0.00, 1-0, 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 SO) and David Stringer (3.86, 1-0, 1 APP, 4.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 SO) both have solid outings out of the bullpen but starters Jeremy Bleich (6.43, 0-0, 1 APP, 1 GS, 7.0 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) and Erik Davis (20.77, 0-0, 1 APP, 1 GS, 4.1 IP, 8 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 5 BB, 3 SO) struggled.
FIELDING - Stanford has made three errors in the first two games of the series for a .965 fielding percentage.

FOUR FROM STANFORD ON ALL-PAC-10 TEAMS
Three Stanford players -- Sean Ratliff, Adam Sorgi and Michael Taylor -- have earned 2007 All-Pac-10 honors. Joey August added honorable mention All-Pac-10 recognition.

SEAN RATLIFF'S OFFENSIVE FOCUS PAYS OFF
Sean Ratliff is leading or co-leading the Cardinal in several offensive categories, including homers (12, co-leader, #5T Pac-10), hits (77, #10T Pac-10), runs scored (60, #3T Pac-10), triples (4, co-leader, #5T Pac-10), at bats (228, #5 Pac-10), total bases (133, #6T Pac-10), slugging percentage (.583), games played (54, co-leader) and games started (54, co-leader). He has also contributed 44 RBI and a .338 batting average that rank second and third on the club, respectively. Ratliff also had a career-best 13-game hit streak (.400, 24-60, 17 R, 5 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 12 RBI) that is also the longest by a Stanford player this season from April 21 - May 13. Ratliff was 0-for-14 with 10 strikeouts last season and has still struggled with his strikeouts in 2007 with a Pac-10-high 65.

ADAM SORGI IS BATTING AVERAGE LEADER
Adam Sorgi has reached the minimum number of at bats (2.5 per team game played) needed to officially qualify for Stanford's team lead in stats and will officially qualify for the minimum requirement of playing in 75% of the team's games to qualify for the NCAA and Pac-10 stat leaders if he plays in today's season finale versus USC. Sorgi is currently hitting .374 and also boasts a team-high .452 on-base percentage despite struggling in his last four games, going a combined 4-for-20 (200). Sorgi has returned from a shoulder injury that caused him to miss 2006 and limited his action early in 2007.

MICHAEL TAYLOR ON FIRE
Michael Taylor has a current career-high 11-game hit streak and has notched 15 multiple-hit games in his last 18 contests. Taylor is hitting .435 (37-85) during the 18-game period with six doubles, a triple, seven homers and 27 RBI. Taylor has raised his average over the past 18 games by 40 points to its current season-high .335. Taylor hit a pair of homers (both in the fourth inning) for the first time in his career -- including his first career grand slam -- for the first time in his career and drove in a career-high six runs in his most recent game at USC on May 26.

JOEY AUGUST PUTTING UP NICE SEASON
Joey August has quietly put together a nice season with a current .343 batting average that ranks second on the club to go with two homers and 27 RBI that rank third on the team. August was 6-for-7 in the first game of Stanford's current series at USC on May 25 to become the first Stanford hitter since Jed Lowrie (at Arizona, May 16, 2004) to record six hits in a game. The six hits were August's career-high and also Stanford's team season-high in 2007.

David Stringer BACK IN FORM
David Stringer has a 3-0 record and allowed just two earned runs over his last four appearances and 19.0 innings pitched for an 0.95 ERA during the stretch. Stringer has picked up wins in the stretch at Santa Clara (May 15) with 7.0 innings of relief without giving up an earned run, versus UC Davis with 5.2 innings of scoreless relief versus UC Davis (May 22) and at USC with 4.2 innings of two-run relief at USC (May 26). He has appeared in a team-high 31 games to rank tied for fifth on Stanford's all-time single-season list in the category.

LONG GAMES
Stanford has clocked in at 3:00 or over in 35 of its 55 games this season, gone 3:40 or longer 18 times and more than 4:00 on five occasions, including a season-long 4:13 against UC Davis in its final home game of the season on May 22.

COMEBACK WINS
Stanford has come from behind in 18 of its 27 wins this season. Stanford's biggest comebacks of the year both from four runs down came versus USC (March 11) and at USC (May 26).

40-HOMER SEASON STREAK
Stanford hit a season-high tying three homers in its most recent game at USC on May 26 to reach the 40-homer mark for the 20th straight season as the Cardinal now has 42 homers in 55 games this season. Stanford has hit 13 long balls in its last eight contests.

DOUBLE DIGIT RUN GAMES
Stanford has scored in double digit runs in six of its last eight games, including a season-high 20 in its most recent contest at USC on May 26. The 20-run game marked the first time the Cardinal had scored 20 or more runs since a 22-10 victory also at USC on May 3, 2003.

ROAD WIN STREAK AT FOUR
Stanford has currently won a season-best four straight road games for its longest road win streak since the Cardinal captured five straight games away from Sunken Diamond from May 9-14, 2005.

PLAYING THE BEST
Stanford has played played eight series and 23 games against teams ranked in at least one national poll at some point.

SUNKEN DIAMOND
Sunken Diamond has served as a host site for 13 NCAA Regionals, as well as NCAA Regionals on five occasions. Stanford has clinched 10 of its 15 trips to the CWS at Sunken Diamond. Stanford finished its 2007 home slate with a 17-15 home record to mark its 43rd consecutive winning season at home and its 12th straight season with at least 17 home wins. Stanford has never had a losing season at Sunken Diamond in the school's recorded history.

STANFORD CAREER STATS VERSUS USC
• Joey August (.400, 10 GP, 9 GS, 16-40, 8 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 7 SO, 1 SF)
• Jeremy Bleich (4.74, 0-1, 5 APP, 2 GS, 1 SV, 19.0 IP, 22 H, 14 R, 10 ER, 9 BB, 9 SO)
• Jason Castro (.250, 9 GP, 3 GS, 4-16, 4 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 5 BB, 2 SO, 2 SAC)
• Andrew Clauson (0-0, 10.80, 3 APP, 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO)
• Erik Davis (15.95, 0-0, 8 APP, 1 GS, 1 SV, 7.1 IP, 12 H, 13 R, 13 ER, 7 BB, 5 SO)
• Brendan Domaracki (.276, 11 GP, 4 GS, 8-29, 3 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 5 SO, 1 HBP, 1 SAC, 1 GDP)
• Grant Escue (.500, 4 GP, 3-6, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBI)
• Max Fearnow (3.18, 2-0, 4 APP, 5.2 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 SO)
• Adam Gaylord (.167, 4 GP, 2 GS, 1-6, 1 RBI, 1 HBP, 2 SO)
• Nolan Gallagher (2.91, 2-3, 6 APP, 2 GS, 21.2 IP, 21 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 17 BB, 21 SO)
• Toby Gerhart (1 GP)
• Blake Hancock (0.00, 0-0, 1 APP, 0.1 IP)
• Jeffrey Inman (10.38, 0-0, 1 APP, 1 GS, 4.1 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO)
• J.J. Jelmini (.400, 3 GP, 1 GS, 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO)
• Brian Juhl (.364, 6 GP, 5 GS, 8-22, 6 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 4 SO)
• Brent Milleville (.250, 7 GP, 3 GS, 5-20, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 SO, 1 GDP)
• Randy Molina (.500, 11 GP, 9 GS, 16-32, 6 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 8 SO, 1 GDP)
• Min (Brian) Moon (.000, 1 GP)
• Wande Olabisi (.000, 1 GP, 1 R)
• Cord Phelps (.229, 11 GP, 10 GS, 8-35, 6 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 6 SO, 1 GDP, 1 SF, 1 SAC)
• Sean Ratliff (Hitting: .500, 8 GP, 7 GS, 11-22, 8 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 1 GDP, 2 SB • Pitching: 15.43, 0-0, 2 APP, 2.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO)
• Ryan Seawell (.300, 18 GP, 8 GS, 12-40, 10 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 8 SO, 2 GDP, 1 SB)
• Adam Sorgi (.243, 11 GP, 9 GS, 9-37, 8 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 5 BB, 2 HBP, 6 SO)
• Tom Stilson (4.15, 0-1, 2 APP, 4.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 SO)
• David Stringer (3.86, 1-1, 5 APP, 2 GS, 18.2 IP, 27 H, 12 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 15 SO)
• Michael Taylor (.299, 17 GP, 17 GS, 20-67, 12 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 5 BB, 2 HBP, 14 SO, 2 SF, 1 SAC, 2 SB)
• Jeff Whitlow (.000, 4 GP, 0-4, 1 R)
• Austin Yount (Hitting: .143, 7 GP, 1-7, 1 R, 2 SO • Pitching: 0.00, 0-0, 1 APP, 1.2 IP)

2007 STANFORD-USC GAMES
March 9, 2007 - USC 11, at Stanford 8
USC scored five unearned runs in the top of the eighth inning on the way to an 11-8 victory over Stanford in the opener of a three-game non-conference series at Sunken Diamond. Stanford had tied the contest at 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh when Sean Ratliff (2-4, HR, 2 RBI) connected on a two-run homer and Michael Taylor followed him two batters later with a solo shot. The loss was Stanford's first of the 2007 season at Sunken Diamond, where the Cardinal had began its home slate with a 9-0 record. USC's 21 hits were the most by a Cardinal opponent this season as the Trojans also took advantage of a season-high four Cardinal errors to score a total of six unearned runs. Michael Torres (4-5, 2B, 2 RBI) led the USC offense with four hits while three additional players - Grant Green (3-5, 2B, 3B, RBI, SB), Robert Stock (3-5, RBI) and Nick Buss (3-6, RBI) - had three each. Hector Estrella (2-4, 2 RBI) and Lucas Duda (2-4, RBI) added two apiece. Joey August (3-5) equaled a career-best and recorded a season-best three hits for the Cardinal, while Adam Sorgi (2-3) had a pair of hits and reached base in all four of his plate appearances, and Brent Milleville was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Taylor drove in two runs.
Quote of the Day ... "Tonight was not a particularly well played game. We just need to come back and play better tomorrow." - Mark Marquess

March 10, 2007 - at USC 2, Stanford 1
Jeremy Bleich carried a three-hit shutout through eight innings but USC rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth to hand Stanford a heartbreaking 2-1 non-conference loss on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Sunken Diamond. Hector Estrella's two-out RBI single through the right side of the infield scored Lucas Duda with the game-winning run. Duda had tied the game at 1-1 earlier in the inning when he singled home pinch-runner Spencer Pabst. Paul Koss retired the Cardinal in order in the bottom of the ninth and struck pinch-hitter Randy Molina for the final out to notch the save. USC reliever Kevin Couture earned the victory after limiting the damage in the Cardinal seventh. Bleich (8.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO) was charged with the loss in the longest outing of his career. Duda (3-4, 2B, RBI, SB) had half of USC's six hits, while Sean Ratliff (2-4, 2B, SB) was the only Stanford player with more than one of the six Cardinal hits.
Quote of the Day ... "I should have gotten job in the ninth, and I didn't," said a subdued Bleich after the contest. "I've got to do a better job at finishing the job and obviously I will work at that." -- Jeremy Bleich

March 11, 2007 - at Stanford 14, USC 9
Stanford scored 10 runs in its final two trips to the plate and hit around the order in both innings in a 14-9 comeback win over USC. The victory prevented Stanford from being swept in a regular season three-game home series for the first time since 1997. Michael Taylor (4-5, 2B, 5 RBI) drove in a career-high five runs, including a game-tying RBI single in a six-run Cardinal eighth that erased a 9-8 USC lead. Taylor also had a season-high four hits, a career-high-tying three runs scored and extended his hit streak to a new career-high 10 games. Joey August also drove in a career-high three runs with two coming on a key two-run single in Stanford's eighth, while Grant Escue and Brian Juhl added two RBI each with Escue equaling a career-best. Sean Ratliff also scored three runs. Max Fearnow (2-1) picked up the victory. Hector Estrella (2-4, 4 RBI) drove in four runs for the Trojans and was one of five USC players with two hits each. Stock (2-3, 2B, RBI), J.J. Owen (2-2, RBI), Derek Perren (2-2, 2B) and Nick Buss (2-6, 2B) also had a pair of hits for the Trojans, while Robert Vasquez drove in a pair with a key two-out double in a three-run Trojan seventh.
Quote of the Day ... "We really didn't want to lose. In the eighth, we had two outs for the whole rally and nobody wanted to be the last out." - Michael Taylor

May 25, 2007 - Stanford 10, at USC 7 (11)
Ryan Seawell's three-run homer with two outs in the top of the 11th inning lifted Stanford to a 10-7 victory over USC. Seawell crushed a 1-1 offering from losing pitcher Robert Stock over the left field wall to send the Stanford dugout and a sizeable group of Cardinal fans in the Southland into pandemonium. Joey August (6-7, 2B, RBI) had six of Stanford's season-high 20 hits and recorded the first six-hit day by a Stanford player since Jed Lowrie accomplished the feat at Arizona on May 16, 2004. Sean Ratliff (3-5, 4 RBI) and Cord Phelps (3-6) had three hits each, while Michael Taylor (2-6, RBI) and Brian Juhl (2-6) also posted multiple-hit games with Taylor extending his hit streak to a new career-high-tying 10 games. Stanford reliever Nolan Gallagher picked up the victory with 4.0 innings of scoreless relief. Gallagher allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out five in relief of Stanford starter Jeremy Bleich (7.0 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO). Stock allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts in his losing outing in relief of USC starter Brad Boxberger (5.2 IP, 11 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO). Hector Estrella (3-6, 2B) had a team-high three hits for the Trojans. Robert Lopez (2-3, 3 RBI), Johnny Bowden (2-4, RBI) and J.J. Owen (2-4) added two hits each for a USC team that also had all nine of its starters with at least one hit.
Quote of the Day ... "It definitely felt good, especially with the type of game I was having. My teammates had been picking me up all game, so it felt good to pick them up for once." - Ryan Seawell, who had been the only Stanford starter without a hit prior to his game-winning homer

May 26, 2007 - Stanford 20, at USC 13
Stanford scored 13 of its season-high 20 runs in the top of the fourth inning of a 20-13 triumph over USC. Michael Taylor (3-6, 2 HR, 6 RBI) had the first two-homer game of his career and drove in a career-high six runs. Taylor hit both of his homers and drove in all six of his runs in the Cardinal fourth, taking a two-run shot off the scoreboard over the right field fence in his first at bat of the frame before capping the rally by blasting his first career grand slam high off the foul pole down the left field line in his second at bat of the inning. Brendan Domaracki (3-6, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI) added career-highs with both three hits and four RBI, while Brian Juhl (3-5, HR, 3 RBI) homered and tied a career-high with his three hits. Sean Ratliff (3-5, RBI, SB) had a three-hit game as well and three other Stanford players - Randy Molina (2-3, RBI), Ryan Seawell (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Cord Phelps (2-6, 3B, RBI) - picked up two hits each as eight of nine Cardinal starters had at least one hit and all nine scored at least once. Stanford extended its string of double digit hit games to 10 in a row and has double digit hits in 19 of its last 21 contests. Hector Estrella (4-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI) had four hits and scored four runs for USC, while Matt Cusick (2-3, 2B, 5 RBI, SB) drove in five. Anthony Vasquez (2-4, 2 RBI) and Mike O'Neill (2-4, 2B) added two hits each, while all nine Trojan starters had at least one hit. J.J. Owen doubled and drove in a pair. USC starter Ryan Cook took the loss
Quote of the Day ... "There's always a part of you that says `what if' we could have been playing like this all year long, but that's just not how the game works. The way that we're playing now is a testament to not giving up and the work ethic that we've had. This is a product of that." - Michael Taylor

2006 STANFORD-USC GAMES
March 10, 2006 - Stanford 7, at USC 6
Chris Lewis' two-RBI double with two outs in the top of the eighth inning proved to be the game-winner as Stanford held off a rally in the bottom of the ninth inning in a 7-6 win over USC. Lewis (3-4, 2B, 3 RBI) led the Cardinal offense, while Joey August (2-4, HR, 2 RBI) and Chris Minaker (2-5, 2B, 2 RBI) drove in Stanford's other four runs. Erik Davis earned the save by retiring both batters he faced after coming into the game with the Cardinal holding on to a precarious 7-6 lead with the bases loaded and only one out in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Quote of the Day ... "Any time you have a one-run game you have to be on the high end of it. It's a morale thing because any time you get beat by one run, you second guess and ask what you could have done differently." - Chris Lewis

March 11, 2006 - USC 16, at Stanford 7
USC scored six runs in the bottom of the second and never looked back in a 16-7 victory over Stanford. Daniel Perales (5-5, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI) and Johnny Bowden (3-4, 2 2B, 5 RBI) had huge offensive days to lead a 20-hit Trojan attack that gave USC starter Ryan Cook plenty of support in his first collegiate victory. Randy Molina (4-4, 2B, RBI) had four hits for Stanford.
Quote of the Day ... "This was just one of those days when not much went right for us offensively or on the mound." - Mark Marquess

March 12, 2006 - at USC 7, Stanford 2
USC won the rubber game of a three-game series over Stanford by a score of 7-2 as the Trojans scored seven unanswered runs after the Cardinal had taken an early 2-0 lead. Baron Frost's suicide squeeze with one out in the sixth inning gave USC its first lead before Darin Vieira capped the USC comeback with a two-out bases loaded three-RBI double in the bottom of the eighth. Three USC pitchers retired the final 15 Stanford batters in a row. Tommy Milone picked up the win despite a shaky start, retiring the final nine batters he faced before relievers John Dunn and Paul Koss retired the side in order in the eighth and ninth innings with Koss striking out the side. Brent Milleville hit his first career home run for the Cardinal with a solo shot in the fourth, while Ryan Seawell (3-4, SB) had three hits.
Quote of the Day ... "We had a chance to win this one, but you have to give USC credit. They played well and came up with the big hit or big play when they needed to." - Mark Marquess

April 1, 2006 - at Stanford 9, USC 7 (Game 1); USC 3, at Stanford 2 -- 12 innings (Game 2)
Stanford and USC split a doubleheader with the Cardinal coming from behind to win the opener, 9-7, before losing a 12-inning 3-2 heartbreaker in the nightcap. Chris Lewis' three-run homer keyed a six-run bottom of the sixth to lift the Cardinal to its dramatic comeback win over the Trojans in the opener, while USC scored an unearned run without a hit in the top of the 12th to pull out the nightcap. Stanford left the bases loaded in both the bottom of the 11th and 12th innings in the nightcap as winning pitcher John Dunn finally recorded the last out of the doubleheader seven hours and 36 minutes after action began. Stanford reliever Max Fearnow recorded his first collegiate victory in the opener.
Quote of the Day ... "It's always tough to sweep a doubleheader, but we are disappointed today because we knew we had a chance." - Mark Marquess

April 2, 2006 - USC 6, at Stanford 1
USC earned its first series victory at Sunken Diamond since 1999 and also wrapped up its first season series triumph against Stanford since 1996 with a 6-1 win over the Cardinal in the rubber game of a three-game set. Ryan Cook notched the victory by holding the Cardinal to just one run on four hits and three walks, while striking out five over 8.1 innings. David Parrow got the final two outs for the Trojans in the bottom of the ninth. Matt Cusick (3-4, 2 RBI) led a Trojan offense that outhit Stanford, 11-4. Stanford starter Matt Manship took the loss despite keeping the Cardinal close by allowing just three runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks, while striking out three over the first 6.0 innings.
Quote of the Day ... "We just need to get better. We really haven't played very good baseball in any phase of the game recently." - Mark Marquess

STANFORD HEAD COACH MARK MARQUESS
One of the nation's premier collegiate coaches and the winningest coach in Stanford Baseball history, Mark Marquess is in his 31st season at the helm of the Cardinal and his 39th associated with the program in 2007. Marquess has won more games than any coach in any sport ever at Stanford with the amazing numbers he has posted during his long tenure on The Farm. Marquess has a 1284-645-5 (.665) all-time record in 1934 career games, as well as equally impressive marks in postseason (112-52, .683), NCAA Regional (68-25, .731), NCAA Super Regional (10-4, .714), CWS (34-23, .596) and Pac-10 (509-342, .598) action. He is currently ranked sixth among all active NCAA Division I coaches in victories and 11th on the all-time list among Division I coaches. Marquess 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 became the 16th NCAA Division I head baseball coach to win 1200 collegiate games just over another two years after that when the Cardinal defeated California at Sunken Diamond on March 5, 2005. He also won his 100th career postseason game in Stanford's NCAA Super Regional clinching victory over Long Beach State (June 7, 2003). 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, 14 NCAA Regional championships and 12 Pac-10 crowns (includes Southern Division and shared titles). Stanford's two CWS championships under Marquess came in back-to-back fashion in 1987 and 1988 as the Cardinal is just one of four teams to have ever won back-to-back Division I College World Series titles. The three runner-up showings have all come this decade with the Cardinal taking second in Omaha in 2000, 2001 and 2003. Maybe even more amazing, all 13 teams that Marquess has taken to the College World Series have won at least one game. Stanford has qualified for the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship 24 times in the first 30 seasons under Marquess with a current school record run of 13 straight appearances in postseason play. 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 Pac-10 selection in 2003. The Cardinal recorded 29 winning seasons in the first 30 campaigns under his leadership but will not reach the standard in 2007. His clubs have finished either first or second in the prestigious Pacific-10 (formerly Pac-10 Southern Division) 22 times in the last 26 seasons including 2006. Stanford has had 134 players drafted by professional baseball in the past 22 campaigns, including 18 in the last 20 years that were drafted either in the first round or as a Compensation A pick. Stanford has had more first round picks (6) since 2000 than any other school in the nation, most recently with the selection of Greg Reynolds as the No. 2 overall pick in 2006. 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. He 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 10 people to have ever 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 in the minor leagues with the Chicago White Sox organization.

STANFORD COACHING STAFF
Dean Stotz is in his 31st season with Stanford Baseball and his eighth as the team's associate head coach after he was promoted to the position prior to the 2000 season following 23 years of service as an assistant. Stotz currently coaches third base while also handling various offensive and defensive aspects of the game. Tom Kunis is in his eighth season as Stanford's pitching coach, while Dave Nakama is also in his eighth campaign over two stints as an assistant.