May 06, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

Cardinal baseball needs a big boost

by Rick Eymer

If the Stanford baseball team needed a boost in confidence as it heads to Berkeley for a three-game Pac-10 series with California today, then the Cardinal need to look no further than Monday's 8-0 road victory over UC Davis and Tuesday's 13-0 win at Nevada.

Stanford (7-5, 26-15) finds itself in fifth place, 31/2 games behind leader Arizona, with 12 conference games remaining. Cal (9-9, 29-20) is in sixth.

Stanford has hosted a regional in each of the past nine years, but that's an endangered streak unless the Cardinal can put together some wins in the final month of the regular season, beginning with today's 2:30 p.m. game.

Stanford and Cal also play Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Since 1999, Stanford has compiled a 78-18 (.813) mark in the month of May, and has beaten the Bears the last seven times they've played in Berkeley. Stanford has won 18 of the past 19 games played against Cal overall.

Stanford coach Mark Marquess needs one win to tie Texas Pan American's Al Ogletree (1,217) for 15th on the career wins list.

The Cardinal enter their weekend series after recording back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1996.

Seven Stanford pitchers combined to allow just seven hits over 18 innings. Jeff Gilmore (7-1) and Matt Leva (3-1) were credited with victories.

Perhaps the most inspiring performance of the weekend belonged to Mark Romanczuk, who started the season as the ace but has struggled in recent outings. He walked the first batter he faced but then retired the next 12 in a row. He struck out seven in his four innings.

On Monday, Adam Sorgi drove in three runs, which was more than enough for Gilmore, Romanczuk and Greg Reynolds. Jim Rapoport doubled, walked five times and stole a pair of bases.

"I've never even seen anybody walk five times in a game," Rapoport said. "My job to get on base and hopefully set the table for the guys behind me to drive in some runs."

Chris Minaker, Brendan Domaracki and Jed Lowrie all had two hits for the Cardinal.

"I think the team is really coming together and picking each other up on both sides of the ball," said Rapoport. "We're pitching well and starting to get some timely hits."

The margin of victory over the Wolfpack was Stanford's largest of the season. Sorgi drove in a career-high four runs, while John Hester and Chris Minaker each had two hits and drove in three runs.

Leva was followed to the mound by Nolan Gallagher, Blake Holler and Matt Manship.

Track and field

Senior Ian Dobson was named Pac-10 Co-Athlete of the Week for his performance at the Cardinal Invitational last week.

Dobson ran the fastest 10,000 meters by an American this year, and set a school record time of 27:59.72. It makes him the No. 5 all-time performer in the Pac-10.

Women's lacrosse

Stanford opens play today at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament at St. Mary's.

Stanford (5-0, 10-5) is scheduled to play either UC Davis or Oregon at 2 p.m. in the semifinals.

The championship match is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m.

Coach Michele Uhlfelder was named MPSF Coach of the Year on Thursday, and freshman Laura Shane was honored as Goalkeeper of the Year.

Sarah Bach, Megan Burker, Thea Lorentzen, Nina Pantano, and Kelsey Twist were all named All-MPSF.

Women's golf

Stanford continues play at the NCAA West Regional through Saturday on the New Mexico State golf course.

Kelly Husted, Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana, Lauren Todd, Wendra Liang and Stephanie Lue will compete for Stanford.

Women's water polo

Sophomores Christina Hewko and Meridith McColl were named to both the MPSF all-tournament team, and the MPSF all-conference team.

Hewko was named first team all-conference while McColl and Katie Hansen were accorded second team honors.

Men's volleyball

Fifth-year senior Kevin Hansen, the third setter in Stanford history to record as many as 5,000 career assists, was named to the first team AVCA All-American team.

Hansen had a 12.70 assists per game average in helping Stanford earn a berth in the MPSF playoffs.

Softball

In what is possibly the most important weekend of the regular season, fifth-ranked Stanford will host Oregon today at 7 p.m. and Oregon State on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.

What makes it so important? Stanford (10-5, 37-11) has an opportunity to move into first place in what is arguably the most competitive softball conference in the nation. All eight teams have been nationally ranked during the year.

Oregon State (11-4, 38-10) is enjoying its finest season ever and currently holds down the top spot in the Pac-10.

Stanford downed the Beavers, 2-0, in Corvallis earlier in the season and holds a 26-11 all-time advantage.

Freshman Michelle Smith leads a record-setting power surge for the Cardinal with a Pac-10 leading 18 home runs. She ranks third nationally in home runs per game. She also leads the team with 50 RBI.

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