May 20, 1999
The first game of the NCAA Regional Championships in Fresno, Calif. gave softball fans even more than they bargained for as the third-seeded Stanford and fourth-seeded Pacific battled through eight innings to determine the victor. After the Cardinal tied up the game in the bottom of the seventh, Pacific came back with two runs in the eighth and held onto the 6-5 win.
With two outs in the top of the eighth, shortstop Adrienne Ratajczak singled to right scoring Angele Alved and Natalie Farmer. As the leadoff hitter in the inning, Alves singled to center field and Farmer got on with a single to the mound. Stanford picked up one run when leadoff batter Shane Anderson singled to center field and advanced to second on a sacrifice and to third on a wild pitch. Kelly Wiginton grounded out, but brought in the run.
Pacific took a 3-0 lead in the fifth as Stanford gave up a walk to leadoff hitter Cindy Ball who later scored. After two scoreless innings, the Tigers charged again when they put three hits together and added a hit by pitch and a Brandee McArthur single to drive in two runs. First baseman Tiffany Heilbut singled to center and moved to second on a Michelle Cordes bunt. Ratajczak moved everyone forward a base after being hit by a pitch before McArthurs two-RBI single.
Pacific will play the winner of the South Carolina vs. Texas Tech game at 7:30 p.m. and Stanford will play tomorrow at 5 p.m. vs. the winner of the Fresno State/Florida A & M game.