May 12, 2001
EUGENE, Ore. - The No. 4 Stanford softball team scored 11 runs and had 17 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Oregon in the final Pacific-10 Conference games of the year on Saturday afternoon at Howe Field. Stanford took the first game 6-0 and the second by a score of 5-1 as the Cardinal improves to 48-13-1 overall and 11-10 in conference play, while the Ducks fall to 28-40 and 1-20 in the Pac-10.
In Game 1, the Cardinal took an early lead in the top of the first. Jessica Mendoza ripped a double to the centerfield fence and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Kira Ching's sacrifice fly to center scored Mendoza for a 1-0 Stanford lead.
Stanford added a run in the third for a 2-0 lead. Mendoza walked and Sarah Beeson had a line drive to the right centerfield gap. Both runners stole a base and Mendoza was able to score when the throw to third went into left.
In the fourth, Stanford rallied for two more runs. Michelle Thiry drew a leadoff walk and Cassi Brangham followed with a long single off of the centerfield fence. Maureen LeCocq reached on a fielder's choice and Walker walked to load the bases for Mendoza. Her low line drive to right scored both Thiry and LeCocq for a 4-0 Stanford lead in the fourth.
The Cardinal extended its lead to 6-0 in the sixth. Brangham led off the inning with her second homer of the year. Brangham, who barely missed out on a home run in the fourth, had no problem clearing the 220-foot centerfield fence this time. LeCocq and Walker then hit back-to-back doubles. LeCocq's was a line drive off the centerfield fence, and Walker found the gap in right center to score LeCocq.
The Ducks had a runner in scoring position in the first after Lisa Wangler singled and Alyssa Laux was hit by a pitch. But Stanford pitcher Dana Sorensen struck out Oregon's No. 4 and 5 hitters to end the inning. In the sixth, Oregon had runners on first and third, but relief pitcher Tori Nyberg got a strikeout to end the inning.
Sorensen pitched five shutout innings, giving up just two hits. She struck out seven and walked two in earning the win. Sorensen is now 22-3. Nyberg started the sixth and went the final two innings, allowing just one hit.
For the Ducks, Wangler pitched the first six innings and took the loss to fall to 5-11. She had four strikeouts and four walks. Connie McMurren pitched the seventh for Oregon.
The Cardinal had eight hits in the first game, led by Brangham's 3-for-3 outing. Mendoza went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
In Game 2, Stanford took an early lead again by scoring three runs in the first. Walker drew a base on balls to start the game and advanced to third on a stolen base and a throwing error by the Oregon catcher. Then, Beeson hit a double to right center to score Walker. Ching had a base hit and Thiry's chopper up the middle scored two for a 3-0 Stanford lead.
The Cardinal wouldn't score again until the fifth inning. Beeson started the rally with a line drive up the middle. Ching then singled to set up Thiry's two-run base hit, giving Stanford a 5-0 lead.
Oregon scored its only run of the day in the fifth inning. A single, a sacrifice bunt and a walk set up Wangler's RBI single to make it 5-1.
LeCocq started in the circle for the Cardinal and pitched five scoreless innings. She gave up three hits while striking out one. LeCocq improves to 16-7 with the win. Nyberg pitched one inning in relief and gave up one run on two hits. Jaime Forman-Lau started the sixth inning and finished the game. She didn't give up a hit and struck out two.
For Oregon, Anissa Meashintubby took the loss and falls to 4-3. She went seven innings and gave up five runs on nine hits while walking four.
Stanford had nine hits in the second game as Ching went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Thiry was 2-for-3 with four RBI and Beeson went 2-for-4. The two wins today snapped a seven-game Pac-10 losing streak for Stanford.
Up next for the Cardinal is the NCAA Selection Show for Regionals on Sunday night at 5:30 p.m. The field of 48 teams will be announced as well as the eight host sites. Regional play begins this Thursday, May 17, 2001.
GAME 1 - Stanford 6, Oregon 0 Score by Innings1234567R H E #4 Stanford10120106 8 1 Oregon 00000000 3 1 WP - Dana Sorensen (22-3) to Jessica Allister. LP - Lisa Wangler (5-11) to Missy Coe. Save - None. 2B - Jessica Mendoza (STAN), Maureen LeCocq (STAN), Robin Walker (STAN). 3B - None. HR - Cassi Brangham (STAN). E - Jenni Shideler (STAN), Missy Coe (UO). LOB - Stanford 6, Oregon 5. Records: Stanford 47-13-1 (10-10), Oregon 28-39 (1-19).
GAME 2 - Stanford 5, Oregon 1 Score by Innings1234567R H E #4 Stanford30002005 9 0 Oregon 00001001 5 2 WP - Maureen LeCocq (16-7) to Jessica Allister. LP - Anissa Meashintubby (4-3) to Sam Shutes. Save - None. 2B - Sarah Beeson (STAN). 3B - None. HR - None. E - Sam Shutes (UO), Alyssa Laux (UO). LOB - Stanford 7, Oregon 6. Records: Stanford 48-13-1 (11-10), Oregon 28-40 (1-20).