Top-Ranked Cardinal Set To Visit No. 12 Cal State Fullerton
Stanford (2-0) hits the road for the first time in 1997 when it
visits No. 12 Cal State Fullerton (0-1) this wekeend at Titan Field. The
Cardinal and Titans meet on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
The pitching matchups are as follows: Fri.: Kyle Peterson (STAN; 1-0, 5.40 ERA)
vs. Matt Wise (CSF; 0-0, 0.00 ERA) Sat.: Jeff Austin (STAN; 1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs.
John Alkire (CSF; 0-0, 0.00 ERA) Sun.: Chad Hutchinson (STAN; 0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs.
Scott Hild (CSF; 0-1, 11.25 ERA).
THE RECORDS
Stanford is 2-0 following a
two-game home sweep of Saint Mary's College. The Cardinal defeated the Gaels
18-6 on Sunday and 10-0 on Monday. Cal State Fullerton enters the weekend with
an 0-1 mark after dropping a 5-3 decision at Cal State Northridge on Tuesday.
THE RANKINGS:
Stanford is ranked No.1 by Baseball America and No. 15 by
Collegiate Baseball in the 1997 preseason polls. A high preseason ranking by
Baseball America is nothing new for Stanford. The Cardinal was ranked No. 1
heading into the 1995 campaign, and No. 2 in 1996. Cal State Fullerton is ranked
No. 9 by Collegiate Baseball and No. 12 by Baseball America.
THE COACH
Mark Marquess reached the career 800-win milestone with a 9-2 win over California on
May 3, 1996 at Sunken Diamond. Marquess, who was inducted into the American
Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame earlier this month, has a 810-433-4 career mark
(.651), including a 331-245 (.575) record against Six Pac competition. The 1969
Stanford graduate has been named NCAA Coach of the Year three times (1985, 1987
and 1988), Pac-10 South Coach of the Year five times (1983, 1985, 1987, 1990,
1994) and also led the United States to the gold medal at the 1988 Summer
Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Cal State Fullerton is led by first year coach
George Horton, who served as the Titans' associate head coach from 1990-96.
Horton replaces Augie Garrido, who is now the head coach at the University of
Texas.
THE SERIES
Cal State Fullerton leads the all-time series with Stanford
23-22. The teams split a two-game series at Sunken Diamond on February 2-3 of
last season. The teams participated in the first-ever night game at Sunken
Diamond on February 2, with the then-No. 2 Cardinal posting a 5-0 win over the
defending College World Series champion and then-No. 1 Titans. Cardinal hurler
Kyle Peterson further added to the celebration when he carried a no-hitter for
7.2 innings. When it was over, Peterson and freshman Chad Hutchinson (Del Mar,
CA/Torrey Pines HS) combined on the one-hit shutout. The following day, the
Titans posted a 7-0 win in a game that was delayed over three hours because of
rain. The rain continued on Sunday, postponing the series finale.
FOR STARTERS
The preseason hype surrounding the 1997 Stanford baseball team has focused on
the Cardinal's pitching. But it was Stanford's offense that stepped to the
forefront as the Cardinal opened its 1997 campaign with a two-game series
against Bay Area rival Saint Mary's. Stanford erupted for 10 runs in its first
at-bat of the year en route to an 18-6 win on Super Bowl Sunday. Sophomore Tony
Schrager (Omaha, NE/ Yale University/Westside HS) led it all off with a double
and score on sophomore Jody Gerut's (Villa Park, IL/Willowbrook HS) two-run
homer to left two batters later. After the second out was recorded, Stanford had
10 consecutive batters reach base to break the game wide open. Freshman John
Gall (Portola Valley, CA/St. Francis HS) and Schrager added homers later in the
contest, while senior Chris Clark (Cohoes, NY/Albany Academy) and Gerut drove in
four runs apiece. Junior Kyle Peterson improved his career mark to 25-6, by
allowing three runs and five hits over five innings. Stanford's pitching took
over on Monday as Stanford completed the series sweep. Sophomores Jeff Austin
(Kingwood, TX/Kingwood HS), Brent Hoard (Los Gatos, CA/Bellarmine Prep HS) and
Chad Hutchinson combined on a two-hit shutout. Junior Jon Schaeffer (Tarzana,
CA/Harvard-Westlake HS) and sophomore Josh Hochgesang (Fullerton, CA/Sunny Hills
HS) each homered to pace a 12-hit attack.
1996 AT A GLANCE
Stanford finished
the season 41-19 overall and 19-11 in the Six Pac, good for second place. The
Cardinal wrapped up the campaign by going 2-2 at the NCAA West Regionals.
Stanford opened the tournament with a 10-5 win over Cal State Northridge and an
8-6 victory over Mississippi State before falling to Florida State 5-4 and Cal
State Northridge 4-3. The season was highlighted by an 18-game winning streak,
which ran from Tuesday, April 16-Friday, May 24. The Cardinal also compiled a
26-7 record at Sunken Diamond, including 20 wins in its last 24 tries. The 41
wins was the most for Stanford since a 59-12 record in 1990.
FOUR NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA SQUADS
Junior right-hander Kyle Peterson added two more
honors to its lengthy resume when he was selected Second Team Preseason
All-American by Baseball America and Third Team by Collegiate Baseball. Peterson
was joined on Baseball America's Second Team by the other two members of the
Cardinal's starting rotation - sophomores Jeff Austin and Chad Hutchinson.
Rounding out the group is center fielder Jody Gerut, a Third Team selection by
Baseball America. Stanford is the only school to have four players selected to
Baseball America's Preseason All-America squads.
CARDINAL RACKS UP 1996 POSTSEASON HONORS
Senior catcher A.J. Hinch further wrote his name into
Stanford's baseball record book when he became the first player in school
history to win Six Pac Player of the Year honors twice. He also became only the
second player in conference history to win the award twice, along with Arizona's
Torey Lovullo (1986-1987). Hinch was joined on the All-Pac-10 Team by teammates
Brian Dallimore, Joe Kilburg and Kyle Peterson. The selection was the second for
Peterson and the first for Dallimore and Kilburg. Hinch was also named First
Team All-America by the Smith Super Team and the Coaches Association and Second
Team All-America by both Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America and First Team
All-District VIII, while Jeff Austin and Chad Hutchinson were First Team
Freshman All-Americans and Jody Gerut an Honorable Mention All-Freshman
selection, also according to Collegiate Baseball. Peterson was named to the
Smith Super Team's Second Team, while Dallimore and Hutchinson were both
Honorable Mention selec-tions. Stanford also had two players - second baseman
Dallimore and designated hitter Jon Schaeffer - selected to the West Region
All-Tournament Team. Stanford had a conference-high six players selected to the
Pac-10 All-Academic Team, with Cale Carter, Luke Quaccia (Oakdale, CA/Modsto
JC/Oakldale HS) and Brendan Sullivan being named to the first team, Jay Pecci
(Novato, CA/San Marin HS) and Eric Sees the second team and Jon Schaeffer
honorable mention.
PETERSON CLOSES IN ON HISTORY
In just two seasons, Kyle
Peterson has already established himself as one of the best pitchers in Stanford
history. The Elkhorn, Nebraska native is 25-6 with a 3.29 ERA, and ranks on two
of Stanford's career top 10 lists and four single season top 10 lists. To put it
in perspective, Peterson is tied with the Baltimore Orioles' Mike Mussina
(1988-90) on Stanford's all-time win list. The junior is currently tied for
seventh in Stanford history in career wins, which puts him 12 behind all-time
leader Jeff Ballard (1982-85) and 11 behind second place Jack McDowell
(1985-87). Peterson burst onto the scene in 1995 with one of the best ever
single season pitching performaces by a freshman. Peterson finished his first
campaign with a 14-1 mark and a 2.96 ERA, which earned him National Feshman of
the Year, First Team All-American and Pac-10 Co-Pitcher of the Year Honors. He
followed up his frosh cam-paign by going 10-5 last season en route to All-Pac-10
and Second Team All-American honors. In his first outing of 1997, he worked five
solid innings in an 18-6 win over Saint Mary's.
HUTCHINSON CONCLUDES A BANNER 1996
Sophomore right-hander/quarterback Chad
Hutchinson has a tough act to follow. In 1996, Hutchinson was named a Freshman
All-American on the diamond after going 7-2 with a 3.51 ERA. He was twice named
Pac-10 Player of the Week, and was 5-0 with a 3.54 ERA in conference action. He
followed that up by leading the Stanford football team to a 7-5 mark in 1996,
including an MVP performance in a 38-0 win over Michigan State at the Norwest
Sun Bowl. Hutchinson started all 12 games at quarterback for Tyrone Willingham's
squad and completed 190-of-312 passes for 2,134 yards and 10 touchdowns. In his
first performance of 1997, he worked two scoreless innings of relief in a 10-0
win over Saint Mary's. The Del Mar, California native came to The Farm as one of
the top ranked recruits in the country. Hutchinson, who was drafted in the first
round of the June 1996 Amateur Draft by the Atlanta Braves (26th pick overall),
turned down a $1.5-million dollar offer from the Braves in order to play
baseball and football on The Farm.
KILBURG AIMS FOR ENCORE PERFORMANCE
Junior right fielder Joe Kilburg joins Kyle Peterson as Stanford's other
returning All-Pac-10 selection. Kilburg hit safely in 30 of the Cardinal's final
35 games to raise his average from .308 to .358. The Cardinal's leadoff man
finished the season ranked first on the squad in hits (87) and stolen bases (23)
and second in on-base percentage (.434). Kilburg also lifted himself into the
spotlight with a four-day power spree. After hitting just one home run in his
first 341 career at-bats, he hit four in the span of just four games and 19
at-bats. The impressive offensive numbers in 1996 lifted Kilburg's career
batting average to .329. In the two wins over Saint Mary's, Kilburg was 2-for-7
with two RBI.
IN SHORT
Here's a quick look at just some of the other Stanford
players to watch in 1997. Jeff Austin - Hard-throwing sophomore allowed just two
baserunners over five scoreless innings in 10-0 win over Saint Mary's. Chris
Clark - Had four RBI in season opening 18-6 win. Tony Cogan - Sophomore lefty
retired all six batters he faced in Sunday's win. Nick Day - Freshman left
fielder comes to Stanford after being named the 1996 Nevada Player of the Year.
Josh Hochgesang -Hit solo homer in second inning of Monday's win. Jay Pecci -
Former walk-on has established himself as one of the top defensive infielders in
the Pac-10, and is competing for the starting jobs at shortstop and third base.
Luke Quaccia - Starting first baseman raised his average nearly .200 points over
the final two months of the 1996 season. Jeff Rizzo - Freshman infielder was the
St. Louis Cardinals' fifth round pick in the June 1996 Amateur Draft. John
Salter - Started at designated hitter in both games of the Saint Mary's series.
Jon Schaeffer - Went 3-for-6 with a team-high five RBI against Saint Mary's.
Tony Schrager - Transfer from Yale singled, doubled and homered in his Stanford
debut on Sunday.
SIX PAC AMONG NATION'S BEST - AGAIN
The Pacific-10 Conference's Southern Division figures to once again be one of the best in the
nation. An astounding four of Baseball America's top seven teams - No. 1
Stanford, No. 3 USC, No. 5 UCLA and No. 7 Arizona State - are from the Six Pac.
In all, five Six Pac teams are in Baseball America's top 25 (No. 25 California)
and all six are in Collegiate Baseball's Fabulous 40 (No. 2 UCLA, No. 6 USC, No.
12 Arizona State, No. 15 Stanford, No. 30 California, No. 40 Arizona).
