Publication Date: Friday, February 20, 2004
COLLEGE BASEBALL
It's a matchup of the best
It's a matchup of the best
(February 20, 2004) Texas visits Stanford in showdown between nation's top squads
by Rick Eymer
The national rankings may not accurately reflect it, but the Stanford baseball team knows the importance of this weekend's series against visiting Texas. The Longhorns and the Cardinal are among the top teams in the nation, if not the top two at the moment.
"Texas has been on our minds because we know they're a good team and will probably be at the College World Series," said Stanford senior rightfielder Brian Hall, who hit a game-winning grand slam in the Cardinal's 10-6 victory over Kansas on Sunday. "It's big to get some momentum before going against them."
Texas (10-0) is coming off an impressive showing at the Minute Maid College Classic over the weekend, winning three games at the Houston Astros' home, including a 2-1 win over defending national champion and top-ranked Rice.
The Longhorns are ranked sixth in the Baseball America poll, where Stanford (8-1) is fourth, but are no lower than second in three other polls.
Collegiate Baseball has Texas the No. 1 team and Stanford sixth, NCBWA has Texas first and Stanford third, and Sports Weekly/ESPN voted Texas second and Stanford third.
Any way you look at it, this weekend should give even the casual baseball fan something to remember. The Texas pitching staff brings an impressive 2.32 ERA into Sunken Diamond when the series begins today at 6 p.m., and the Longhorns hit .320 as a team. Stanford has a 3.38 ERA and a .310 batting average.
"Texas is a tremendous pitching club," said Cardinal senior right-hander David O'Hagan. "They also have a few guys who stand out offensively. They're well-coached and well-disciplined."
Stanford and Texas have become recent nonconference rivals, having played each other 22 times since the 1998 season, five times in postseason play. The two schools played one game between Stanford's national championship season in 1987 and the scheduled series at Texas in 1998.
It didn't take long for Cardinal coach Mark Marquess to start scheduling the Longhorns when his good friend Augie Garrido moved from Cal State Fullerton to re-ignite the Texas program in 1996.
Texas closer Houston Street played on the same USA National Team with Stanford's Mark Romanczuk and Danny Putnam at the Pan American Games last summer.
Romanczuk (2-1, 3.12) faces left-hander J.P. Powell (1-0, 0.00) in tonight's series opener. Jeff Gilmore (2-0, 2.00) is slated to start Saturday's 1 p.m. game against Sam LeCure (1-0, 2.77). Stanford's Sunday's starter has yet to be determined against Texas' Justin Simmons (2-0, 1.93).
Stanford has won 15 of its past 16 series, and 31 of 37 games overall dating to last season. The Cardinal also have won 15 consecutive home games, and come from behind in six of their eight victories.
Sophomore second baseman Jed Lowrie leads the team with a .429 batting average, 12 RBI, 11 runs scored, three doubles and 15 hits. Putnam has a 10-game hitting streak active.
Senior center fielder Sam Fuld needs two hits to become the fifth player in Stanford history with 300 hits.
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