March 4, 2001
ST. GEORGE, Utah - The No. 6 Stanford softball team put up nine runs in the fifth inning and Dana Sorensen pitched four innings of one-hit ball as the Cardinal trounced Missouri 10-0 in five innings to win the Red Desert Classic, hosted by University of Utah at The Canyons on Sunday afternoon. The Cardinal went 5-0 on the weekend and improves to 21-1-1, while the Tigers fall to 7-13.
Stanford took a 1-0 lead in fourth inning on a Michelle Thiry sacrifice fly. Kira Ching led off with an infield single and Jessica Allister advanced her to third when she reached on an error. Thiry then drove in Ching with the fly to right.
The game opened up in the fifth inning when Stanford rattled off nine runs while sending 14 batters to the plate. The inning started with five consecutive hits. Ramona Shelburne led off with an infield single before Robin Walker, Mendoza and Sarah Beeson all had base hits. Ching kept the rally going with her second hit of the day, chasing Missouri's starting pitcher, Stephanie Falk.
Mizzou's reliever, Ingrid Werner, walked two batters before Cassi Brangham connected for an RBI single. Walker picked up her second hit of the inning and Beeson's sac fly to score Shelburne capped the rally.
Sorensen allowed just one hit, a single in the second inning, to earn her 10th win of the year. She had seven strikeouts and one walk, improving to 10-1. Maureen LeCocq sent the Tigers down in order in the bottom of the fifth.
On the day, Stanford had 11 hits, led by Mendoza's 3-for-3 outing with two RBI and a run scored. Walker and Ching both went 2-for-4. Shelburne and Beeson also had two RBI apiece and Shelburne crossed the plate twice.
The Cardinal is next in action at the Speedline Invitational in Tampa, Fla. The first game is set for Thursday, March 8, against Penn State at 11:00 a.m. (EST).
Score by Innings12345R H E #6 Stanford0001910 11 0 Missouri000000 1 1
WP - Dana Sorensen (10-1) and Jessica Allister. LP - Stephanie Falk (6-7) and Mary McGrane. Save - None. 2B - Jessica Mendoza (STAN), Jessica Allister (STAN). 3B - None. HR - None. E -Stephanie Falk (UM). LOB - Stanford 6, Missouri 2. Records: Stanford 21-1-1, Missouri 7-13.