University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
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Stanford
No. 2 Stanford Cruises Past UCLA Baseball 19-3
May 20, 2000 | Baseball
May 20, 2000
Palo Alto, Calif. - Second-ranked Stanford scored seven runs in each of the first two innings and hit four home runs en route to a 19-3 victory over the UCLA baseball team in the second-game of a three-game Pac-10 series at Sunken Diamond Saturday afternoon.
Stanford (41-13, 16-7 Pac-10) now evens the weekend series 1-1, after the Bruins (35-23, 17-6 Pac-10) captured Game One 10-9 and at least a share of the Pac-10 title. If UCLA can win tomorrow's game, the Bruins will have sole possession of the crown, their first since 1986. If Stanford takes the rubber match tomorrow, both teams will share the top spot. Arizona State can enter into the mix as well, if the Sun Devils win their next two with Arizona in Tucson. An ASU loss Saturday or Sunday would put them out of the running for a title.
The Cardinal spoiled any hopes of a Bruin celebration today, scoring seven runs in each of the first two innings. UCLA junior left-hander Rob Henkel (6-3) struggled from the beginning, walking the first two Stanford hitters of the game and allowing a three-run home run by center fielder Edmund Muth. Another walk and a two-run shot by right fielder Joe Borchard gave Stanford a 5-1 lead and the Bruins had yet to record a out.
Stanford catcher Damien Alvarado added an RBI single and first baseman Craig Thompson had a sacrifice fly handing the Bruins a 7-1 deficit after one inning. Henkel, who suffered the loss, once again walked the first two lead-off batters in the second inning before third baseman John Gall doubled home yet another home.
The Bruins went to junior right-hander Paul Diaz out of the bullpen, who walked Borchard to load the bases with no outs. Diaz then hit second baseman Chris O'Riordan to force over a run. Left-fielder Andy Topham then flied out to right and almost had the sacrifice but UCLA junior right-fielder Matt Pearl launched a perfect throw to the plate to get the runner attempting to score. Before the inning was over, Stanford designated hitter Arik Van Zandt added an RBI single and shortstop Eric Bruntlett had a two-run double giving the Cardinal a 14-1 lead after two frames.
O'Riordan added to the Stanford hit parade with a two-run home run in the third and Gall had a two-run shot in the bottom of the fourth. Then Diaz pitched two scoreless innings and put a calm to the Cardinal storm. UCLA senior Aldo Pinto pitched the seventh and eighth innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out two.
UCLA took a short-lived 1-0 lead in the first inning when junior catcher Forrest Johnson extended his career-high hitting streak to 18 games driving in Pearl who led off the game with a double. The Bruins then scored two runs in the top of the seventh on three straight hits by the bottom three hitters in the lineup: junior center fielder Charles Merricks, sophomore third baseman Randall Shelley and junior shortstop Josh Canales. Shelley's hit was an RBI double.
Junior first baseman Garrett Atkins extended his season-high hitting streak to 18 games with a single in the sixth, while Pearl was the only Bruin with two hits.
Stanford right-hander Justin Wayne (12-3) earned his 12th victory of the season, allowing just one run on four hits and striking out eight through six innings.
The series and season finale for both teams takes place tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Stanford's Sunken Diamond. Junior left-hander Bobby Roe and sophomore right-hander Brian Sager are the probables. The game will be broadcast live on the internet at www.broadcast.com.
