No. 8 Stanford Avoids Sweep, Beats KU Baseball, 8-3

Feb. 12, 2006

Box Score

PALO ALTO, Calif. –

After winning the first two games of its three game series, the University of Kansas (6-2) could not complete a sweep of No. 8 Stanford (4-2), falling 8-3, Sunday in Palo Alto, Calif.

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Senior outfielder Gus Milner led KU offensively going 3-for-4 with three RBI and a home run. The Olathe, Kan., native missed hitting for the cycle by a double.

Senior Kodiak Quick (1-1) took the loss for the Jayhawks. Quick allowed five runs, three earned, and stuck out three batters in 5.0 innings of work. Freshmen Nick Czyz and Paul Smyth pitched the final three innings for KU.

Senior Matt Baty got the Jayhawks starter early, working a lead off walk to open the game. Baty moved over to second on a groundout by senior Ritchie Price and scored on a two out RBI single by Milner giving KU a 1-0 lead.

Stanford tied the game at 1-1 with an unearned run in its half of the first. A sacrifice fly by Michael Taylor scored Joey August who was on third base due to a pass ball.

Milner continued to swing a hot bat in the third inning sending a shot down the right field line to score Ritchie Price who reached first base on an error. Milner pulled into third base with his second triple of the season to give KU a 2-1 lead.

Stanford took a 4-2 lead with three runs in the fourth inning. The Cardinal used two hits and two walks to tally their three runs. KU catcher Buck Afenir threw out a base runner attempting to steal second base to end the inning.

The Cardinal added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings. Freshman Austin Yount added a two-run double in the eighth inning to give Stanford its final 8-3 victory.

Kansas will return to the west coast next weekend to play in the Public Storage Classic hosted by Southern Cal in Los Angeles, Calif. KU will face host USC at 8 p.m. central on Friday, Feb. 17. The Jayhawks will also play No. 18 San Diego on Saturday and Vanderbilt on Sunday.

Game Notes: Gus Milner finished the series 7-for-13 (.538) with seven RBI and two home runs … Kansas out-hit Stanford 28-18 during the series … Last time Stanford was swept in a regular season three-game series at Sunken Diamond was during the 1997 season against Arizona State from April 11-13 (a span of 62 consecutive series) … KU is 5-1 in its last six non-conference road games against top 10 teams … Stanford is ranked No. 8 by Collegiate Baseball, No. 14 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and No. 19 by Baseball America.