It's a frustrating finish It's a frustrating finish (June 08, 2005)to Cardinal baseball year

Season sputters to a stop following 4-3 loss in regional final

by Rick Eymer

The Stanford baseball team finished its season in the same game and on the same day as it did one year ago. Not bad considering how the Cardinal sped and sputtered through the regular season.

With that in mind, losing to Baylor, 4-3 in 12 innings on Monday, had to be particularly frustrating after Stanford (34-25) fought so bravely to claw its way into the Waco Regional championship game after losing its first game on Saturday.

Greg Reynolds pitched the game of his life, working one batter into the 12th inning, allowing four runs on 10 hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts. It wasn't enough.

Reynolds allowed a game-tying home run in the ninth, and then gave up the go-ahead homer in the 12th before Erik Davis came on to end the threat.

The Cardinal made noise in the bottom of the 12th, as Michael Taylor and John Hester singled to put the potential tying and winning runs on base. With two outs, pinch runner Cameron Matthews - Stanford's lone senior - surprised everyone by stealing third. Jim Rapoport was walked intentionally to load the bases but the season ended when Ben Summerhays, the team's oldest player, struck out swinging.

Eighth-ranked Baylor (42-21) advances to a Super Regional against Clemson with a College World Series berth on the line. Stanford ends the year with yet another one-run loss. The Cardinal were 10-17 in games decided by two runs or less, 8-11 in one-run games.

Reynolds did pitch well enough to give the Stanford pitching staff a 3.77 ERA, the fourth time in six years the team has finished under 4.00, and its best mark since the 2001 pitchers went 3.50. Stanford has only had three years lower than 3.77 since 1977.

The 34 wins were Stanford's fewest since a 27-28 record in 1993. The Cardinal have won fewer games just four times since 1966, when the schedule was about 45 games.

Yet there was Stanford, not just on life support but in good health and competitive in its biggest game of the season.

Chris Lewis hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to give the Cardinal a 3-2 lead and the chance to force an extra title showdown with the Bears, who were seeded fourth nationally.

Stanford left the bases loaded in each the fourth, eighth and 12th innings. But that's been the case all year - so close, yet on the outside looking in.

Jed Lowrie also hit a home run in his final appearance in a Stanford uniform. On Tuesday his name will be called along with several of his teammates - most notably John Mayberry. Jr. - by a major league baseball team.

Taylor had three hits, while Lowrie, Lewis and John Hester each added two hits.

Stanford may not have reached the championship game had it not been for the superb relief efforts of Matt Manship on Sunday.

Pitching in his home state, Manship put the finishing touches on wins over Texas-San Antonio, 6-2, and Texas Christian, 12-4, on Sunday to keep the Cardinal alive and prosperous in the postseason.

Manship made sure Stanford got the opportunity on Monday by retiring all 17 batters he faced on Sunday - recording the final eight outs against Texas-San Antonio and getting the last nine outs against the Horned Frogs. He earned two saves on the day.

"I figured I was going to have to throw again in the second game and I prepared accordingly," said Manship, who lowered his season ERA to 0.80 with the outings.

Texas-San Antonio scored twice in the seventh and had two runners on with one out before Manship came to the rescue with a pair of strikeouts to end that threat. He also ended the game with a flourish, striking out the final two batters.

In the second game, Nolan Gallagher (2-5) gave up hits to the first three TCU hitters in the seventh and the Horned Frogs were suddenly within 6-4. Enter Manship and nine outs later, the Cardinal were making plans for Baylor.

"Two saves in one day, not bad," Stanford coach Mark Marquess said. "Manship did a great job. We had one of the better offensive games that we have had in the past couple of weeks considering the circumstances and against a quality team."

Manship's 17 career saves are second on the all-time Stanford list.

Adam Sorgi had two hits and drove in three runs while Lowrie added a three-run homer against TCU. Mayberry, Jr. homered and drove in two runs.

"I don't think any of us were tired," Sorgi said.

Gallagher earned the win in relief of Mark Romanczuk. Stanford took the lead with a four-run sixth, highlighted by Sorgi's two-run double. Menlo School grad Ryan Seawell and Lewis also drove in runs.

Mayberry, Jr. and Sorgi combined to go 6-of-8 with five RBI in the win over Texas-San Antonio. Each player doubled and Mayberry, Jr. also hit a home run.

Stanford starter Matt Leva (5-2) earned the victory by not allowing a run while scattering six hits with a walk and three strikeouts over the first five innings.

TCU dropped Stanford into the elimination bracket with a 5-1 victory on Saturday.
Men's golf

Stanford freshman Rob Grube shot a final round 2-under-par 68 at the NCAA Championships on Sunday to finish tied for fifth in the individual tournament at the Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland.

Grube fired a four-day total of 2-over-par 282 for the tournament.

Stanford failed to make the final round, finishing 18th overall. The top 15 advance.

Grube, who won the NCAA West Regional, became Stanford's first top-5 finisher since 1998, when Joel Kriebel tied for second.

Georgia won the team title and Washington's James Lepp was the individual champion.
Track and field

Stanford sends 24 athletes and one relay team to the NCAA championships at Sacramento State beginning Thursday and running through Saturday.

Senior Alicia Craig will attempt to win her third consecutive 10,000 meter race. She's already a three-time Pac-10 champion in the event set the NCAA record last year at the Cardinal Invitational, running a 32:19.97.

Stanford senior Sara Bei will also be looking to finish her career strong. She placed second in the 5,000 meters last year and currently holds the top collegiate time in the nation this year at 15:41.57.

Senior Ian Dobson holds the third-best time in school history with a 13:27.45 in the 5,000. That's also the best time in the nation this year.
Women's tennis

Senior Erin Burdette was joined by juniors Alice Barnes and Amber Liu and sophomores Theresa Logar and Anne Yelsey as All-Americans.

Burdette and Barnes were also named ITA Doubles Team of the Year.

Burdette was the first four-time All-American since Ania Bleszynski in 1998, and the 12th overall. She joins an impressive list which also includes Katie Schlukebir, Laxmi Poruri, Teri Whitlinger, Sandra Birch, Patty Fenrick-McCain, Linda Gates, Elise Burgin, Alycia Moulton and Kathy Jordan.

The Tennis Channel will broadcast the NCAA doubles championship, which featured an all-Stanford finals, on Saturday.
Men's tennis

Stanford senior Sam Warburg and junior KC Corkery were accorded All-American status following their performances in the NCAA singles and doubles tournaments.

Warburg was honored for the third time in his career.
Softball

Stanford place three players on the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America teams.

Junior outfielder Catalina Morris and freshman third baseman Michelle Smith were second team picks while junior shortstop Lauren Lappin was a third team selection.
Crew

Seniors Sam Magee and Missy Fiesler were both honored as All-Americans by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association
Men's volleyball

Junior William Clayton and his 3.88 GPA heads the list of six Stanford players who were honored on the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation All-Academic team.

Senior Kevin Hansen, senior David Vogel, junior Chris Ahlfeldt, junior Ben Reddy, and sophomore Brian Lindberg were also honored.

A total of 39 athletes from 11 schools were recognized.
Women's golf

Incoming freshman Mari Chun was named Senior Athlete of the Year in her sport by the National High School Coaches Association.

Chun won the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association Tournament of Champions, the Hawaii State Women's Golf Association Match Play Championships, the Mayor's Cup, the Aloha Section of the Westfield Junior PGA Championships and the Callaway Junior World Championships.

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