Cardinal Rout Bulldogs To Win Series

The Stanford Cardinal posted a convincing 10-3 victory over Fresno State on Sunday afternoon to claim their second consecutive series victory to open the season. After a rocky first inning from starter Mark Jecmen, David O'Hagan came on to fire six scoreless innings of long relief. While at the plate, it was again the big boys in the middle of the order leading the way although contributions were made up and down the Stanford lineup.

The Bulldogs jumped on the scoreboard early this afternoon with three runs in the bottom of the first off Stanford starter Mark Jecmen.  Ryan Haag and Richie Robnett started the inning with consecutive singles and then a Kent Sakamoto walk loaded the bases.  Kyle Wilson was up next and after working the count full, he drew ball four for a run-scoring walk.  After Christian Vitters singled to center to score another run, Jecmen was lifted from the game in favor of senior David O'Hagan.  O'Hagan did a nice job limiting the damage getting Tom Shannon to fly out to left (which did a score a run) and then retiring the side with a pair of strike outs.

Stanford scored their first runs of the game in the third inning as they touched up FSU starter Matt Scott for five runs to take a 5-3 lead.  Donny Lucy led off with a double and then he moved to third on an Adam Sorgi single to right.  After Sam Fuld walked to load the bases, Jonny Ash drove home Lucy with a single.  Next up was Jed Lowrie and the Cardinal second baseman grounded a ball to first base only to have Bulldog first baseman Kyle Wilson commit an error on a wild throw to second which scored both Sorgi and Fuld to tie the game.

Stanford wasn't done though as Danny Putnam immediately followed with an RBI single while the fifth and final run of the inning came home on a wild pitch.

Meanwhile, O'Hagan continued to roll.  He gave up a single and a walk in the second, but a pair of strikeouts and a ground out ended that threat.  He surrendered singles in each of the third and fourth innings, but both times FSU grounded into inning-ending double plays. 

The Cardinal added to their lead with three more runs in the top of the fifth inning.  Facing reliever Rudy Quinonez, Lowrie started things off with a single and then Putnam doubled to deep center to put runners at second and third.  John Mayberry, Jr. then ripped a ground ball to third that was booted by Christian Vitters for an error which scored a run.  Then three batters later, Lucy singled to left scoring two more runs to extend the lead to 8-3.

In the bottom of the fifth, O'Hagan worked a perfect 1-2-3 inning recording two strike outs in the process.  Then in the sixth, O'Hagan put up another zero again aided by a double play.

Stanford scored their final two runs of the game in the top of the seventh to make the score 10-3.  Mayberry, Jr. led off with a single and then moved to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run single off the bat of Brian Hall.  After Lucy was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Sorgi struck out, Fuld ripped a single up the middle to score two runs.

Kodiak Quick and Matt Manship closed the game out for the Cardinal.  Quick fired two scoreless innings allowing just one hit with one strike out.  Quick needed only 18 pitches to record six outs.  Meanwhile, Manship worked a scoreless ninth on just 11 pitches.  He hit a batter with two outs, but got a ground out to end the game.  Manship also struck out a batter.

Game Notes:
* Stanford compiled 16 hits today - a season high.

* Danny Putnam (3-for-5, 2B, RBI) and John Mayberry, Jr. (3-for-4, RBI) led the way offensively.  Jed Lowrie (2-for-5, 2B, RBI), Brian Hall (2-for-4), Donny Lucy (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI), and Adam Sorgi (2-for-5) had multi-hit games.  Every player in the starting lineup with the exception of Chris Carter had a hit today.

* David O'Hagan went six shutout innings today in a long relief role - a career high.  He allowed four hits, walked one, and struck out a career-high tying eight.  O'Hagan has now thrown nine innings this season with just one run allowed, one walk, and 11 K's.

* Stanford again did not commit an error today.  That's five straight error-less games while the Cardinal have committed just two errors in six games this season.

* The Cardinal played with the same lineup as yesterday with a Lowrie-Putnam-Mayberry, Jr. 3-4-5 middle of the order.  Carter-Hall-Lucy-Sorgi were the 6-through-9 batters.

* Mark Jecmen was charged with three runs allowed on three hits with two walks.  He did not record an out.

* Stanford hit into five double plays this afternoon.  Fresno State hit into three.

Stanford      0 0 5  0 3 0  2 0 0   -   10  16   0
Fresno State  3 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0   -    3   8   2

WP: David O'Hagan (1-0)
LP: Matt Scott (0-1)

Records: #6 Stanford (5-1), Fresno State (1-2)

* Stanford will next be in action this upcoming weekend when they host the Kansas Jayhawks.  Game time on Friday is scheduled for 6:00pm while Saturday's and Sunday's games will each get underway at 1:00pm.