A Last-Minute Look at the Stanford Cardinal

Inasmuch as I’ve already previewed Stanford, isn’t this posting superfluous? Yes, it is . . . but it is absolutely necessary, as well. Accordingly, we will forge ahead with the following minutiae regarding the Cardinal, whom the Diamond Dogs are slated to face at 2:00 tomorrow afternoon, weather permitting:

Since arriving in Omaha, Jeremy Bleich, Jeffrey Inman, and Danny Sandbrink have started games for the Cardinal, going five, five and one-third, and four innings, respectively. In relief, Erik Davis worked one inning against Florida State and four frames against Miami, whereas Michael Marshall was pressed into service for an inning against the ‘Noles and for an out against the Classic City Canines. Drew Storen contributed two cantos against F.S.U. and one more against U.M. Austin Yount went two and a third stanzas against Georgia under the watchful eye of his shutterbug mom. The left-handed Bleich will get the start against Georgia tomorrow afternoon.

In the Cardinal’s two College World Series victories, second baseman Cord Phelps has gone five for ten with four R.B.I. and a walk from the leadoff spot, which isn’t bad for 128 cubic feet of tightly-stacked firewood, but he was held hitless in three at-bats against the Red and Black.

Stanford’s most effective hitters against Georgia were Joey August (2 for 4) and Jason Castro (2 for 3, 2 R.B.I.). In their other two outings in Rosenblatt Stadium, the Cardinal left fielder collected three hits in seven at-bats, drew one walk, and drove in one run, while the squad’s catcher went three for ten with a pair of R.B.I. and a base on balls.

Perhaps Stanford’s greatest advantage over the Red and Black, though, is the fact that Carrie Bradshaw didn’t have a confidante named Georgia.

Center fielder Sean Ratliff’s home run against the Hurricanes last night marked the fourth pitch put over the wall by Stanford in College World Series play, including Castro’s long ball against the Diamond Dogs.

In their other two outings in Omaha, the Cardinal have collected 26 hits (to the Seminoles’ and the Hurricanes’ cumulative 20) and scored 24 runs but allowed only eight. Stanford’s efforts have been aided by the five combined errors committed by the two Sunshine State schools the Pac-10 team has defeated.

The Classic City Canines performed about as well as average against Stanford, notching nine hits and plating four runs, but the Diamond Dogs played errorless baseball in the field and held the Cardinal to six hits (about half as many as Stanford averaged against the two A.C.C. squads) and three runs (one-fourth of the Cardinal’s average against Florida State and Miami).

As this is written, Quinton McDawg and Paul Westerdawg are headed to Omaha but it is uncertain what awaits them upon their arrival, as the rain delay persists and the possibility remains that the entire schedule will be pushed back one day. Stay tuned. . . .

Go ‘Dawgs!