Top-ranked Cardinal open Pac-10 with sweep Top-ranked Cardinal open Pac-10 with sweep (March 28, 2001)

by Rick Eymer

Anybody expecting a dropoff from the Stanford baseball team as a result of an extended layoff for finals was sorely disappointed. The top-ranked Cardinal opened the Pac-10 season the same way it ended the preseason: winning.

The conference season gets serious in a hurry as Stanford (3-0, 21-5) travels to No. 5 Arizona State (3-2, 20-6-1) for a three-game series beginning Friday. The Cardinal hosted St. Mary's on Tuesday night.

It's hard to imagine that Jeremy Guthrie, a two-time Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week, could be one-upped, but that's exactly what Jeff Bruksch did on Saturday.

Guthrie (6-0) allowed just two earned runs in eight innings as the Cardinal defeated Washington on Friday, 9-3.

Bruksch (5-0) followed that with seven shutout innings in a 9-0 victory over the Huskies on Saturday.

Mike Gosling (1-0) helped finish off the series sweep on Sunday, earning a victory in relief of starter Tim Cunningham as Stanford battered the Huskies, 13-4.

"Every starter is following up a starter that has thrown well the day before and that's important," said Guthrie. "We are all saying now it's my turn and that's been the big key for the starters. We're all out there to pitch well for the team."

On Friday, eight of Stanford's nine starters combined for 10 hits with Brian Hall, who had two hits and drove in two runs, and Arik VanZandt, with two hits and an RBI, leading the attack. Mike Wodnicki pitched a perfect ninth for the Cardinal.

"This young team continues to surprise me," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess. "I think these guys have outperformed what I've expected. Now, maybe I except it, but to be honest they have really surprised me."

On Saturday, Bruksch allowed three hits and struck out nine, matching his career high.

"Our rotation seems to be feeding off each other," said Marquess. "They all want to do a good job and they have. They've been very consistent. I don't know if it's humanly possible to continue to pitch as well as they have, but hopefully they will continue to pitch well. They have been the primary reason we have done so well this season."

Bruksch has given up just two earned runs over his last 37.2 innings.

"I really focused on trying to pick up strikeouts after I had two strikes on hitters," said Bruksch. "I'm trying to keep the same approach every outing. Basically, if it's not broke, don't fix it."

Stanford has won 14 consecutive regular-season series dating to last year. Stanford has beaten Washington eight straight times.

Jason VanMeetren homered, doubled and drove in two runs on Saturday, while Carlos Quentin and Sam Fuld each added three hits.

"It is always nice to be a part of something like this when the whole team hammers the ball," said VanMeetren. "Our team is really beginning to break out offensively. It seems like even when we've been making outs, we've been hitting the ball hard."

Ryan McCally tossed a pair of hitless innings in relief to give the Cardinal its fifth shutout of the season. Stanford has given up three or fewer runs in 16 of its last 19 games.

Stanford has a season-high tying seven-game winning streak entering the game against the Gaels on Tuesday. The Cardinal have won 19 of their past 21 contests.

On Sunday, Quentin led the offensive attack, going 3-for-5 with a home run and a career-high four RBI. Gosling struck out a season-high six in 3.1 innings of middle relief.

"I've had some big home runs before but that was a good one," said Quentin. "I feel a responsibility to produce hitting in the cleanup spot."

Stanford had a 11-0 lead after four innings. Scott Dragicevich extended his career-high hitting streak to 11 games by doubling to start Stanford's second-inning rally. Dragicevich scored the team's first run on a double play ball hit by Ken Tirpack before Chris O'Riordan's two-out RBI single gave Stanford a 2-0 advantage.

Quentin, who finished the series 7-for-14 (.500) with a homer and five RBI, leads the Cardinal with a .358 batting average.

"Carlos has played great," said Marquess. "You can't get him out with any one particular pitch. He's going to be a great player for us and get nothing but better."