April 20, 2001
TUCSON, Ariz. - The No. 3 Stanford softball team was shutout by No. 2 Arizona, 7-0, in Pacific-10 Conference action on Friday night at Hillenbrand Stadium. The Cardinal held Arizona, the best hitting team in the nation, to just three hits, but two were home runs.
The Wildcats improve to 44-4 overall and 6-2 in conference play while the Cardinal drops to 40-6-1 and 7-3 in the Pac-10. The two teams are now tied for first in the conference standings.
The Wildcats, who have a 35-game winning streak on their home field, got on the board in the second inning. Arizona's Leneah Manuma drew a leadoff walk from Stanford starting pitcher Maureen LeCocq. LeCocq retired the next two batters but another walk and a fielding error allowed Manuma to score the first run of the game. The Cats added three more runs when Mackenzie Vandergeest cleared the bases with her 15th homer of the year for a 4-0 Arizona lead.
Jaime Forman-Lau came on in relief and got the Cardinal out of the second inning. But in the fourth, Arizona extended its lead to 7-0 with Lauren Bauer's three-run homer to right. It was Arizona's 101st home run of the year, which breaks the NCAA record for team homers in a season. Forman-Lau retired the first two batters of the inning but gave up a walk and a single setting up the second three-run homer of the game.
Tori Nyberg started the fifth inning in the circle for Stanford and pitched two innings of no-hit ball. She allowed just two base runners on a walk and a fielder's choice.
The Cardinal was held to just three hits. Until the top of the seventh, Robin Walker had the only hit for Stanford (a single in the third). She reached base two more times on a pair of walks, and advanced to third base in the first inning. With two outs in the seventh, Jenni Shideler hit a double to the gap in left center and Michelle Thiry followed with a single through the left side.
Arizona's Jennie Finch, who leads the nation with her 0.32 ERA, pitched a three-hit shutout to earn the win. She had 14 strikeouts, tying her season-high, and improves to 19-0 on the year. It was the most Ks for an opposing pitcher this year.
LeCocq took the loss for the Cardinal and falls to 12-5. She pitched 1 2/3 innings, giving up just one hit. Forman-Lau pitched 2 1/3 innings, scattering two hits while allowing three runs.
All seven of Arizona's runs came with two outs. The first four were all unearned. The Wildcats are 25-0 on their home field this year. Their last loss at home was to Stanford in April of last year.
The Cardinal continues its Pac-10 road trip with No. 8 Arizona State on Saturday. The two teams play at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow and at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Arizona 7, Stanford 0 Score by Innings1234567R H E #3 Stanford00000000 3 3 #2 Arizona040300x7 3 0 WP - Jennie Finch (19-0) to Lindsey Collins. LP - Maureen LeCocq (12-5) to Jessica Allister. Save - None. 2B - Jenni Shideler (STAN). 3B - None. HR - Mackenzie Vandergeest (UA), Lauren Bauer (UA). E - Kira Ching (STAN) 2, Cassi Brangham (STAN). LOB - Stanford 6, Arizona 3. Records: Stanford 40-6-1 (7-3), Arizona 44-4 (6-2).