April 8, 2001
STANFORD, Calif. - The No. 4 Stanford softball team scored three runs in the first inning and never looked back as the Cardinal went on to a 4-0 win over No. 16 Oregon State in a Pacific-10 Conference game on Sunday afternoon at Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium. With the win, the Cardinal moves its record to 35-3-1 overall and 5-1 in the Pac-10 while the Beavers drop to 30-15-1 and 0-4 in conference play.
Junior Robin Walker got the first inning rally started with a leadoff single to centerfield. Jessica Mendoza followed with a walk to set up Sarah Beeson's two-run double to right center field. Freshman Jessica Allister's bunt single to third base scored Beeson, who was running on the play, for a 3-0 Cardinal lead.
The only other Stanford run came in the fourth inning when Michelle Thiry and Walker each had doubles. Thiry's two-bagger cleared the OSU center fielder's head, and Walker then roped her double to the left centerfield gap.
Sophomore Dana Sorensen pitched six shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out four. She walked none to improve to 19-1 on the year. Sophomore Tori Nyberg, who pitched five innings in Saturday's 9-4 win over Oregon State, pitched the seventh inning and retired the Beavers in order.
Oregon State's Crystal Draper took the loss to fall to 17-8. She gave up four runs on six hits while striking out six.
Walker led all Cardinal hitters with her 2-for-2 outing along with a sacrifice bunt. She had an RBI and a run scored as well. Four other players had one hit, including Kira Ching's two-out triple to left center field in the fifth.
Stanford, winners of four straight Pac-10 games, will travel to No. 13 Fresno State on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 6:00 p.m. The Cardinal will continue Pac-10 play on Friday against No. 5 Cal. That game is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. start. Stanford and Cal will then play a doubleheader on Saturday in Berkeley.
Stanford 4, Oregon State 0 Score by Innings1234567R H E #16 Oregon State 00000000 3 1 #4 Stanford300100x4 6 2WP - Dana Sorensen (19-1) to Jessica Allister. LP - Crystal Draper (17-8) to Traci Feldt. Save - None. 2B - Robin Walker (STAN), Sarah Beeson (STAN), Michelle Thiry (STAN). 3B - Kira Ching (STAN). HR - None. E - Cara Maxey (OSU), Jessica Mendoza (STAN), Kira Ching (STAN). LOB - Oregon State 4, Stanford 4. Records: Oregon State 30-15-1 (0-4), Stanford 35-3-1 (5-1).