April 14, 2001
BERKELEY, Calif. - The No. 3 Stanford softball team split a doubleheader with No. 4 California on Saturday in Pacific-10 Conference action at Levine-Fricke Field. The Cardinal took the first game 5-4 but dropped the second 1-0. Stanford, which won Friday's game between the two teams 5-2, is now 38-5-1 overall and 7-2 in the Pac-10, while the Golden Bears are 44-5 and 3-5 in conference play.
In Game 1, the Cardinal got on the board in the first inning on an error by Cal's shortstop. Jessica Mendoza singled through the right side and stole second to move into scoring position. Then Kira Ching's grounder to short was missed and Mendoza scored for a 1-0 Stanford lead.
The third was another inning where the Cardinal was able to capitalize on a Cal error. Robin Walker's drive to right field was dropped, and she ended up on second. Mendoza followed with her second single of the game. With runners on second and third with two outs, Kira Ching ripped a line drive double to centerfield, scoring both Walker and Mendoza for a 3-0 Cardinal lead.
The Bears answered in the bottom of the third with a single run. Kristen Morley led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Then Candace Harper doubled off the left centerfield wall for Cal's first run of the game.
In the bottom of the fourth, Stanford pitcher Dana Sorensen ran into some trouble. A walk and back-to-back singles left the Bears with the bases loaded and one out. Morley, Cal's leadoff hitter, drew a walk, which scored Courtney Scott and chased Sorensen.
Cal still had the bases loaded with one out, but Stanford relief pitcher Tori Nyberg forced Cal's No. 2 and 3 hitters into ground balls and got the Cardinal out of the jam.
In the top of the sixth, Stanford extended its lead on Jenni Shideler's two-run homer. Cassi Brangham reached on a fielding error by Cal's shortstop and Shideler cleared the 210-foot fence in right center for a 5-2 lead. All five of Stanford's runs were unearned, due to three Cal errors.
Cal cut the lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth. The Bears strung together four singles, which chased Nyberg. Jaime Forman-Lau came on in relief and got out of the inning with a fly out.
In the bottom of the seventh, Forman-Lau retired the 4-5-6 hitters in order and earned her fourth save of the year. Nyberg, who went 2 1/3 innings gave up two runs on four hits, picked up the win to improve to 4-0.
Cal's DiSalvio went the distance in the circle, giving up six hits and five runs (all unearned). She struck out four in falling to 16-2.
The second game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth. Courtney Scott drew a two-out walk and then Mikella Pedretti and Amber Phillips hit back-to-back singles for the only run of the game.
The Bears threatened again in the sixth when they had runners on first and second with one out from consecutive walks. Stanford's starting pitcher, Maureen LeCocq, was relieved by Jaime Forman-Lau, who got a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning.
The Cardinal's only chance came in the fourth inning when Sarah Beeson's hard ground ball was missed by Cal's second baseman and Kira Ching followed with a double off the left centerfield wall. But Cal pitcher Jocelyn Forest struck out the next two batters to strand the runners at second and third.
For Cal, Forest pitched a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts. She improves to 23-4 on the year. LeCocq pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up just three hits and one run. She took the loss to fall to 11-4.
Stanford continues Pac-10 play on the road this week when it travels to No. 2 Arizona for a single game on Friday. The Cardinal then plays a pair of games at No. 8 Arizona State on Saturday and Sunday.
GAME 1 - Stanford 5, Cal 4 Score by Innings1234567R H E #3 Stanford10200205 6 0 #4 Cal 00110204 9 3WP - Tori Nyberg (4-0) to Jessica Allister. LP - Nicole DiSalvio (16-2) to Courtney Scott. Save - Jaime Forman-Lau (4). 2B - Kira Ching (STAN), Candace Harper (CAL). 3B - None. HR - Jenni Shideler (STAN). E - Paige Bowie (CAL) 2, Kristen Morley (CAL). LOB - Stanford 4, Cal 8. Records: Stanford 38-4-1 (7-1), Cal 43-6 (2-5) .
GAME 2 - Cal 1, Stanford 0 Score by Innings1234567R H E #3 Stanford00000000 1 0 #4 Cal 000010x1 3 1WP - Jocelyn Forest (23-4) to Courtney Scott. LP - Maureen LeCocq (11-4) to Michelle Thiry. Save - None. 2B - None. 3B - None. HR - None. E - Eryn Manahan (CAL). LOB - Stanford 3, Cal 6. Records: Stanford 38-5-1 (7-2), Cal 44-6 (3-5).