College World Series : Stanford Repeats Itself With Title Game Win

At first, the Stanford players did what any team would have done. They held their index fingers high.

But in the minutes that followed their 9-4 victory over Arizona State Saturday for the College World Series title, they took stock of what they had done. And when it was time for the team picture, they gathered and put their hands in the air again--this time with two fingers raised.

Stanford had become the first team to repeat as national champion since USC won five straight titles in 1970-74.

It was also the third straight victory for the Pacific 10 Southern Division, Arizona winning in 1986. The West has won 8 of the last 11, the Pac-10 Southern Division taking 6 of those.

The titles are Stanford’s only national baseball championships.

“I didn’t think it would be possible--not just for our team, but for any team--to repeat as national champion again,” Stanford Coach Mark Marquess said.

Marquess will not have long to savor this victory. He will depart today for Millington, Tenn., where he will hold tryouts for the U.S. Olympic team, of which he is the coach.

Perhaps Stanford’s most impressive accomplishment is that it repeated with a team that was hardly favored.

The Cardinal came into the College World Series seeded seventh, and had a 5-14 record this season against the teams it joined here.

But Stanford beat Fresno State before losing to Cal State Fullerton in a game in which the Cardinal committed five errors. Stanford came back, beating Fullerton twice in two days to gain a shot at the title against Arizona State.

The Sun Devils had beaten Stanford in five of six meetings this year in the Pac-10 Southern Division, which Arizona State won. But this time, it was not close.

Stanford scored five runs in the first inning on five hits, including a two-run homer by Ed Sprague and a two-run double by Brian Johnson. The Cardinal led, 8-0, before Arizona State scored, and only Steve Willis’ three-run homer in the eighth left the outcome briefly in doubt.

Stanford finished with a 46-23 record, its winning percentage of .667 the lowest ever for a College World Series champion.

“I don’t know what it was,” said Lee Plemel, who pitched two complete-game victories earlier in the Series and was named the tournament’s outstanding player, “but even though we had a losing record against every team we played here, I think a lot of guys who were with us last year knew the feeling of what it was like to win.”

Stanford’s inconsistency this season still had Marquess baffled entering regional play.

“We just wanted to win a couple and not embarrass ourselves,” he said. “This is unbelieveable. I was proud last year, but I’m proud of this one in a different way. This team wasn’t as talented, but they just played with a lot of heart.”

Arizona State (60-13), which was the top-seeded team here, was seeking its sixth national championship, and its third under Coach Jim Brock.

Rusty Kilgo, who already had two victories in the Series, was the Arizona State starter. He lasted only six batters.

“They seemed to be a much more confident team than they had been earlier,” Kilgo said. “I think when they lost their regional opener and then fought their way to the World Series, it really helped their character and their confidence. They played a great ballgame today. You have to give them credit.”

Stanford came through the tournament the hard way, losing to St. John’s in the opening game of the Northeast Regional, but coming back to win four games to make it to Omaha. In the Series, the Cardinal lost its second game, but came back to win three straight. All told, Stanford won eight games in which a loss would have meant elimination.

But neither had Arizona State taken an easy route, winning seven elimination games, once coming back when it was twice a strike from being eliminated by Wichita State.

The Cardinal hit only .249 as a team during the Series, but the staff earned-run average was 2.37, led by Plemel’s 2-0 record and 2.00 ERA.

Stan Spencer (7-2) earned the victory in the final, holding the Sun Devils to three earned runs on nine hits through seven innings. Steve Chitren, who did not allow an earned run in his final 22 innings, pitched the final two.

College Baseball Notes

Several attendance records were set this year, thanks to a 2,200-seat expansion of Rosenblatt Stadium. A total attendance record of 132,698 was set, exceeding last year’s 130,659. This year also saw the four largest crowds in Series history, led by 16,499 on June 5. . . . The all-tournament team: Doug Robbins (Stanford, catcher), Ron Witmeyer (Stanford, first base), Mark Standiford (Wichita State, second base), John Finn (Arizona State, third base), Pat Listach (Arizona State, shortstop), Jim Osborn (Cal State Fullerton, outfield), Dan Rumsey (Arizona State, outfield), Ricky Candelari, (Arizona State, outfield), Martin Peralta (Arizona State, designated hitter), Rusty Kilgo (Arizona State, pitcher) and most outstanding player Lee Plemel (Stanford, pitcher).