March 9, 2001
TAMPA, Fla. - Sophomore pitcher Dana Sorensen pitched a one-hit shutout as the No. 5 Stanford softball team defeated the hosting University of South Florida in the fourth game of the Speedline Invitational at the USF Softball Complex on Friday evening. The Cardinal improves to 24-2-1 while the Bulls fall to 16-15.
Sorensen's no-hitter was broken up in the bottom of the seventh when leadoff hitter Shelly Riker bunted for a base hit. Sorensen had a perfect game going until two outs in the bottom of the fifth when she hit a batter. Allowing just two base runners in the game, Sorensen didn't let a ball out of the infield. She had 14 strikeouts, two shy of her school record of 16 (2/16/01), and no walks. Her record improves to 12-1.
Both of the Cardinal's runs came from Jessica Mendoza. The junior center fielder hit her team-leading eighth home run of the year in the top of the first to give Stanford a 1-0 lead. USF's starting pitcher, Jessi Kowal, retired 15 of 16 batters after giving up the homer to Mendoza and a single to Sarah Beeson in the first. Mendoza singled through the right side and advanced to second on a Beeson fly out. On Mendoza's attempt to steal third, the shortstop missed the throw, allowing Mendoza to score for a 2-0 lead.
Mendoza and Beeson were each 2-for-3 in the game.
Stanford continues pool play of the Speedline Invitational on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. (EST) against Georgia Tech.
Score by Innings1234567R H E #5 Stanford10000102 5 0 South Florida00000000 1 2 WP - Dana Sorensen (12-1) to Jessica Allister. LP - Jessi Kowal (9-6) to Priscilla Smith. Save - None. 2B - None. 3B - None. HR - Jessica Mendoza (STAN). E - Renee Oursler (USF) 2. LOB - Stanford 3, South Florida 1. Records: Stanford 24-2-1, South Florida 16-15.