April 4, 2004
Stanford, Calif. - Meghan Sickler went 1-for-2 at the plate with three RBI as the Stanford softball team defeated Oregon, 6-1, this afternoon at the Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium. The Cardinal improve to 29-8 overall, 2-1 in Pac-10 play while the Ducks fall to 29-9, 3-1 in conference action.
Stanford struck first scoring three runs in the bottom of the third. Lindsay Key singled to leftfield. Shoney Hixson pinch ran for Key. Jackie Rinehart reached base on an error by the third baseman and Hixson advanced to second. Katherine Hoffman reached on a fielder's choice as Hixson advanced to third. Catalina Morris doubled to right center to score Hixson. Lauren Lappin was intentionally walked to load the bases. With two outs, Meghan Sickler singled through the left side, scoring Morrsis and Lappin.
Three more runs would score for the Cardinal in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs on the board, Morris singled up the middle, then stole second. Lappin reached first on an error by the third baseman and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Jessica Allister was intentionally walked to load the bases. Oregon pitcher Amy Harris then walked Sickler to bring in Morris. Leah Nelson then singled to leftfield, scoring Lappin and Allister.
The Ducks would score one run in the top of the seventh to break up the shut out.
Dana Sorensen (17-4) picked up her second win on the weekend, allowing one run on three hits over seven innings of work. She notched eight strikeouts on the afternoon. Ani Nyhus took the loss for Oregon, lasting only 2.2 innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits.
Leah Nelson went 2-for-3 with two RBI for Stanford while teammate Catalina Morris also went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Lauren Lappin also scored two runs for the Cardinal.
Stanford is back in action on April 9 against California at 2 p.m. in Berkeley.