May 24, 2001
Box Score| Quotes | World Series Tracker
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Jessica Mendoza's RBI double in the top of the eighth gave the sixth-seeded Stanford softball team a 2-1 win over third-seeded LSU in the Women's College World Series at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium on Thursday night. The Cardinal (53-14-1) plays again on Friday at 8:30 p.m. (CST) against UCLA. The Tigers (57-10) will play on Saturday against Iowa.
The Cardinal scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth. Ramona Shelburne reached on an error by the first baseman and advanced to second on Robin Walker's sacrifice bunt. Then Mendoza came through with a double to the right centerfield gap. It was her second double of the game.
In the bottom of the eighth, pitcher Dana Sorensen got two strikeouts and a ground out to give the Cardinal its first-ever World Series win.
Stanford broke open a scoreless game in the top of the fourth. Sarah Beeson's leadoff home run cleared the 220-foot centerfield fence. It was her 12th homer of the year.
In the bottom half of the fourth, the Tigers tied the game. April Janzen led off with an infield single. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored from second on Christy Connor's deep fly out to right center. Mendoza made the catch right at the fence as she collided with Shelburne, the right fielder. Janzen never slowed down as she rounded third and was able to score, tying the game 1-1.
Stanford had a chance to take the lead when it had runners in scoring position in the top of the seventh. With one out, Jessica Allister walked and Jessica Draemel went in to pinch run. Cassi Brangham singled to left, and both runners advanced on stolen bases. But Draemel was out at home on Jenni Shideler's squeeze bunt. The Tigers got out of the inning with a strikeout.
Sorensen went the distance for the Cardinal, giving up one run on seven hits while striking out seven and walking one. Sorensen is now 26-4.
Britni Sneed pitched all eight innings for the Tigers and falls to 35-6. She gave up two runs (one earned) and scattered six hits. She struck out seven and walked one.
This was the second time Stanford defeated LSU this year. In February, the Cardinal had a 2-0 win over the Tigers as both Sneed and Sorensen battled it out in a game that saw just four hits between both teams.
Stanford 2, LSU 1 (8) Score by Innings12345678R H E Stanford00010001 2 6 0 LSU 000100001 7 2 WP - Dana Sorensen (26-4) to Jessica Allister. LP - Britni Sneed (35-6) to Jennifer Schuelke. Save - None. 2B - Jessica Mendoza (STAN) 2, Julie Wiese (LSU). 3B - None. HR - Sarah Beeson (STAN). E - Christy Connor (LSU) 2. LOB - Stanford 6, LSU 4. Records: Stanford 53-14-1, LSU 57-10.