Feb. 23, 2001
COLUMBUS, Georgia - The No. 9 Stanford softball team exploded for four home runs, including back-to-back shots by Jessica Mendoza and Sarah Beeson en route to a 4-0 win over University of Illinois at Chicago in its first game of the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Friday afternoon at South Commons Complex. The Cardinal improves to 13-1 on the season while the Flames fall to 9-8.
Sophomore pitcher Maureen LeCocq, who had a perfect game in her last outing, pitched five shutout innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks. LeCocq gave up a double in the bottom of the first for UIC's only hit of the game. Jaime Forman-Lau relieved LeCocq at the start of the sixth inning and retired six of seven batters, including two strikeouts. LeCocq, the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week, improves her record to 5-0 on the year.
Mendoza put the Cardinal up 1-0 in the bottom of the first with her two-out homer to right center. Stanford added to its lead in the fifth when Cassi Brangham hit her first home run of the year. Then in the sixth, again with two outs, Mendoza hit her second home run of the game -to the same place in right center field. Beeson, who was robbed of a homer in the fourth, had no problem clearing the 250-foot fence in center. The Cardinal had five hits on the day, four of which were home runs. Kira Ching doubled in the sixth, following the back-to-back homers. All four home runs came with two outs.
Stanford continues pool play of the NFCA Leadoff Classic tonight at 7:30 p.m. (EST) against No. 6 LSU.
Score by Innings1234567R H E #9 Stanford10001204 5 1 UIC 00000000 1 0WP - Maureen LeCocq (5-0). LP - Rory Gonzales-Gould (1-1). Save - None. 2B - Kira Ching (STAN). 3B - None. HR - Jessica Mendoza (STAN) 2, Sarah Beeson (STAN), Cassi Brangham (STAN). E - Ramona Shelburne (STAN). LOB - Stanford 2, UIC 3. Records: Stanford 13-1, UIC 9-8.