Cardinal puts No. 1 rank in baseball on the line Cardinal puts No. 1 rank in baseball on the line (March 05, 2004)

Stanford takes on host USC in a three-game series; Cardinal men open Pac-10 swimming with a meet record

by Rick Eymer

The top-ranked Stanford baseball team visits USC for a three-game nonconference series beginning today at 6 p.m. as sophomore left-hander Mark Romanczuk (3-1, 4.13) is scheduled to meet Ian Kennedy (2-0, 1.06).

The series continues Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Sophomore Jed Lowrie leads the Cardinal (13-2) in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.472); runs scored (22); hits (25); doubles (4); triples (3); RBI (22); total bases (44); slugging percentage (.830); on-base percentage (.543); and sacrifice flies (4).

Lowrie, who has a career-high 11-game hitting streak intact entering the weekend, was named a National Co-Hitter of the Week by the NCBWA on Tuesday after hitting .700 (7-10) with six runs scored, a double, three triples, seven RBI, three walks, a hit-by-pitch, two sacrifice flies, a 1.400 slugging percentage and a .688 on-base percentage in Stanford's three-game sweep of host California.

Lowrie tied an NCAA single-game record when he hit the first three triples of his career in a 12-9 win over California on Friday.

USC is one of the few teams to lead the all-time series with Stanford, holding a 198-150-3 advantage.

Stanford has won the past four season series against the Trojans, though, and has a five-game winning streak against them.

Overall, Stanford has won 19 of its past 20 regular-season road games dating to last year.
Women's tennis

Top-ranked Stanford defeated visiting Fresno State, 6-1, on Wednesday to remain unbeaten in 11 matches this season.

The Cardinal traveled to Arizona State for a 1:30 p.m. match today.

In singles play, Alice Barnes and Lauren Barnikow each posted victories in straight sets, while Anne Yelsey battled back to win the final two sets 6-1, 6-3 after dropping the first set 4-6 to Fresno State's Courtney Jantz.
Men's swimming

Stanford, seeking an unprecedented 23rd straight conference title, set meet record to highlight the first day of the 2004 Pac-10 Swimming Championships at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach. Only two events were contested Wednesday -- both relays.

Stanford's quartet of Shaun Phillips, Markus Rogan, Andy Grant and Jayme Cramer won the 800-yard free relay in an automatic NCAA qualifying time of 6:24.18. That topped USC's 2002 record of 6:24.62.

The Cardinal took second in the 200y medley relay as the team of Peter Marshall, Gary Marshall, Matt McDonald and Bobby O'Bryan clocked 1:26.02. California won the event in 1:25.16, bettering Stanford's meet record of 1:25.47 set in 2002.

The meet continues Thursday through Saturday.
Wrestling

Matt Gentry and Imad Kharbush each won an individual title at the Pac-10 championships in Tempe on Monday.

Brad Metzler finished second, and four other Stanford wrestlers placed at the tournament.

Stanford tied for fifth place with host Arizona State.

The top three placers from each weight, along with eleven wild card selections, will advance to the NCAA championships in St. Louis beginning March 18.

Stanford will be represented by Tanner Gardner (125, wildcard), Paul Gross (133, wildcard), Metzler (141), Gentry (157), and Kharbush (174).
Women's gymnastics

Fifth-ranked Stanford travels to Maryland for its final regular-season meet on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Sophomore Natalie Foley was named the Pac-10 Gymnast of the week after finishing first in all-around competition as the Cardinal defeated host Oregon State, 197.850-197.175, matching UCLA for the highest road score in the nation this season.
Softball

Tenth-ranked Stanford (13-5) opens play in the Worth Invitational in Fullerton today against Oklahoma State (12-6) and then meeting Cal State Northridge (10-4).

The Cardinal finished second in the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson last weekend, dropping a 7-5 decision to host Arizona in the championship game.

Senior catcher Jessica Allister hit .500 (6-for-12) for the tourney, driving in five runs. Sophomore shortstop Lauren Lappin hit .455 with seven RBI.

Stanford faces a familiar opponent in Oklahoma State, beating the Cowboys, 10-0, to open the Wildcat Invitational.

Senior pitcher Dana Sorensen (7-3, 1.56) needs six more strikeouts to surpass Arizona's Susie Parra (1991-94) for ninth place on the all-time Pac-10 list.
Field hockey

Stanford was presented on the NFHCA Division I Academic Squad with 16 players, tied with LaSalle for the most of any team in the nation.

Cardinal student-athletes honored include Katherine Brooks, Noor Dawood, Shannon Donahue, Julia Drewes, Lyndsay Erickson, Jamie Hais, Missy Halliday, Ana Kralovec, Cara-Lynn Lopresti, Keely Machmer-Wessels, Ellen Hunter, Eleanor Morgan, Liz Robinson, Tammy Shuer, Aska Sturdevan and Emily Zander. "I am very proud of the hard work both academically and athletically that these students-athletes have put in to earn this recognition," said Stanford coach Lesley Irvine. "To be able to achieve the things that they have both on and off the field is truly admirable."
Men's golf

Stanford shot the low score of the day at 288 in the final round of competition at the Cleveland Golf Classic to move up into a tie for ninth.

The Cardinal shot an 881 for the tourney. Texas took the team title with a three-round score of 847.

Stanford freshman Zack Miller had a 1-under par 70 on the final day to tie for ninth with a 215.
Women's volleyball

Jason Mansfield, a volunteer assistant the previous two years, was named the top assistant on Wednesday.

"Jay is a very talented and successful coach at several levels," said coach John Dunning. "He has made major contributions during his two years as our volunteer coach. We are very excited to add him to our staff as a full time coach and will look forward to watching the impact he will have on the future of our program."

Mansfield has served as head coach at Los Altos High and was the top assistant at Foothill JC.
Women's golf

Stanford shot a final round of 300 at the San Jose State Spartan Invitational in Salinas on Wednesday to finish fifth.

The Cardinal shot a three-round total of 901 at the Corral de Tierra Country Club. UCLA won the event with a six-under par 858.

Angela Rho was Stanford's top golfer, finishing 16th at 222.

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