May 18, 2001
STANFORD, Calif. - Kira Ching went 3-for-5 with four RBI as the top-seeded Stanford softball team defeated Central Michigan 6-0 in the third game of Day Two of the NCAA Softball Regional at Stanford's Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium on Friday afternoon. Stanford (50-13-1) will play Nebraska on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Central Michigan is eliminated from the Regional and ends the season with a 37-20 record.
The Cardinal put two runs on the board in the first and two more in the second. Robin Walker led off the game with base hit down the left field line, and Jessica Mendoza reached on a bunt single. Then Kira Ching's base hit to left scored both runners for a 2-0 Stanford lead after ˝ inning.
The second inning started with Maureen LeCocq drawing a walk. Sarah Beeson also walked to set up Ching's second RBI hit of the game. This time, she roped a double to deep left for a 4-0 Cardinal lead.
In the fifth, Stanford plated two more runs for a 6-0 lead. Cassi Brangham walked and Jenni Shideler singled through the left side to set up Mendoza's two-run single to left.
In the circle, the Cardinal pitching staff allowed just two hits. Maureen LeCocq came on in the third inning after Dana Sorensen started. Sorensen went two scoreless innings, giving up one hit. LeCocq went the next four innings to earn the win. She allowed one hit while striking out two and walking two, and improves to 17-7. Jaime Forman-Lau pitched the seventh inning for the Cardinal.
For the Chippewas, starting pitcher Amber Puchalski was hit for four runs on four hits. She took the loss to fall to 26-9. Jenni Rasmussen pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on eight hits. Wendy Stephens pitched the last inning and picked up one strikeout.
The Cardinal pounded out 12 hits led by Ching and Mendoza with three apiece. Ching drove in four runs while Mendoza had two RBI. Stanford stranded 15 runners on base in the game.
Stanford 6, Central Michigan 0 Score by Innings1234567R H E Stanford22002006 12 0 Central Michigan00000000 2 3 WP - Maureen LeCocq (17-7) to Jessica Allister/Michelle Thiry. LP - Amber Puchalski (26-9) to Michelle Brander. Save - None. 2B - Kira Ching (STAN), Jessica Mendoza (STAN). 3B - None. HR - None. E - Karly McCormack (CMU) Becky Manson (CMU), Michelle Brander (CMU). LOB - Stanford 15, Central Michigan 4. Records: Stanford 50-13-1, Central Michigan 37-20.