Chance Chance (April 14, 2004)to gain ground

Cardinal can open big Pac-10 lead during next homestand

by Rick Eymer

Sophomore John Mayberry, Jr. hit three home runs and drove in six runs as the Stanford baseball team won two-of-three from host Oregon State over the weekend to secure its 13th straight series win and reach its 25th win in 30 games for just the fourth time in school history.

The top-ranked Cardinal (4-2, 25-5) return home for an extended stay, which includes a three-game Pac-10 series against California beginning Friday at 6 p.m. Stanford, which hosted Santa Clara on Tuesday night, plays 10 of its next 12 games at home, and have eight more road games the remainder of the regular season.

Mayberry, who has a nine-game hitting streak, recorded his second career multi-homer game on Thursday in an 11-8 victory over the Beavers.

"We just had to stay patient, and we were going to come through offensively," said Mayberry.

Stanford dropped Friday's game, 5-4, before coming back to take Sunday's game, 16-4.

Stanford scored seven runs in the final two innings on Thursday to erase a three-run deficit. Brian Hall, who has a career-high 15-game hitting streak, hit a two-run homer in the eighth to tie it, and Donny Lucy singled home two runs in the ninth for the game winners.

Jed Lowrie and Chris Minaker also added two hits each as all nine Stanford starters had at least one hit, including a first inning inside-the-park homer by Jonny Ash that extended his hit streak to 10 in a row.

David O'Hagan (4-0) earned the win, allowing just a solo homer to lead off the ninth by Chris Campos and striking out three in two innings.

Stanford starter Mark Romanczuk allowed seven runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

Ash was credited with his inside-the-park homer when he hit a fly ball to the right-center field gap. Oregon State right fielder Jacob Ellsbury dove for the ball and seemingly made the catch while crashing into the fence.

The umpires, however, ruled that Ellsbury did not catch it, and Ash continued around the bases, scoring before Beaver centerfielder Aaron Matthews could retrieve the ball and get it to the plate. Ellsbury remained on the ground for several minutes after the play but walked off on his own power before leaving the contest.

Lowrie, a native of Salem, Oregon, was playing a collegiate game in his home state for the first time in his career.

"This was a big game for me," said Lowrie. "I had some butterflies and jitters at the beginning."

Stanford rallied from a 5-1 deficit on Friday, and had the go-ahead runs on base when the game ended.

Lowrie hit a two-run homer to help the Cardinal rally.

Freshman Blake Holler (3-2) took the loss, allowing five runs and seven hits with two strikeouts and a walk in 3 2/3 innings. Matt Manship pitched effectively in relief, striking out four in 4 1/2 scoreless innings.

"We have a really deep staff and that's going to help us in the long run. It takes some of the pressure off the starters," said Manship. "I'm sure they like knowing they have consistent guys behind them."

Hall, Menlo School grad Ryan Sewell and Sam Fuld each had two hits.

Stanford scored seven runs in the first on Saturday to win for the 28th time in 32 true road games.

Lucy and Hall each had three hits, and Chris Carter drove in three runs.

Jeff Stimpson (1-1) won his first career game by striking out six in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

"I didn't have a very good fall and it didn't look like I was going to get a lot of chances," said Stimpson. "But I've been on a big roll since we got back to school in January."

Ash's four hits tied his career high.

Stanford scored in double digits for the 14th time this season and outhit the Beavers, 17-8, to record its 23rd double-digit hit game of the season and sixth in a row.

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