April 30, 2002
MORAGA, Calif. - No. 7 Stanford (39-14) snapped its three-game losing streak Tuesday afternoon with a non-conference doubleheader sweep of Saint Mary's (13-34) at Cottrell Field in Moraga, Calif. The Cardinal capitalized on three Gael errors in game one to record a 3-0 shutout, and recorded an 8-0, six-inning win in the nightcap.
Junior Kira Ching (San Lorenzo, Calif.) was the offensive star of the afternoon for the Cardinal, going 5-7 with four runs scored, seven RBI and two home runs overall on the day.
The Cardinal, who took game one despite leaving a season-high 12 runners on base, jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning against the Gaels. Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) doubled to center with one out and came around to score on Kira Ching's RBI single. Ching would eventually score the second Cardinal run when Maureen LeCocq (Woodland Hills, Calif.) drew a bases loaded walk.
Ching's second RBI single of the game gave the Cardinal a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth, plating Mendoza, who doubled for the second time in three appearances.
Junior Tori Nyberg (Belmont, Calif.) and freshman Elizabeth Bendig (Santa Ana, Calif.) combined on the three-hit shutout for the Cardinal. Nyberg (22-8) worked the first four innings and fanned five, while Bendig tossed three hitless innings with two strikeouts in relief.
In the second game, Kira Ching homered twice and drove in five runs as the Cardinal coasted to an 8-0 victory. Stanford pounded out 11 hits in the contest, which was called after six innings of play due to the eight-run rule.
Ching got things started in the top of the first inning, slamming a two-run home run to left field to drive home Mendoza, who walked to reach base.
Stanford would tally three more runs in the third inning to increase its lead to 5-0. After Ching walked and Cassi Brangham (Clovis, Calif.) singled, sophomore Jessica Allister (Nacogdoches, Texas) delivered a basehit to drive home both runners for a 4-0 advantage. Bendig followed with an RBI single of her own to score LeCocq, who reached on a fielder's choice.
In the sixth, Ching hit her second homer of the game- a three run shot to right center that brought home Robin Walker (La Palma, Calif.) and Mendoza.
Junior LeCocq (16-6) was masterful in the circle, limiting the Gaels to just two hits over six innings while striking out two.
The Cardinal returns to Pac-10 competition on Friday, when it travels to Arizona State to face the Sun Devils at 7 p.m.