May 11, 2007
Stanford, Calif. - Another one got away from the Stanford softball team tonight, as the squad took an early lead, gave up two bighomeruns and then rallied late, but came out on the losing side of an 8-5 decision. For the second-straight night,the Cardinal out-hit the competition, recorded the fourth-best offensive performance of the year, posted doublefigures in the hits column, and couldn't pull out the win.With just one regular-season game remaining, the Cardinal stands 33-18-1 overall and 7-12-1in conference play. Oregon State secured fifth place in the Pac-10 and stands 38-21, 9-11 Pac-10. The Cardinaland the Beavers will play the series' rubber game tomorrow at 1 p.m.
For the second night in a row, Stanford's first three batters loaded the bases and put the opponent in earlytrouble. Jackie Rinehart and Tricia Aggabao singled, before Alissa Haber was hit by a pitch to fill up the bases.The Beavers battled back, however, getting the first out with a force at the plate on an infield ground ball,and the second out with a foul pop up. Freshman Shannon Koplitz drew a four-pitch walk on the next at bat, givingAggabao a free trip home, but the Cardinal couldn't get anymore, and left three runners stranded.
Stanford maintained the 1-0 lead until the fourth inning, when Alana Ford belted a grand slam that put Oregon Stateahead for good. Anerror followed by two base hits loaded the bases for Ford and the Beaver pinch hitter drilled a ball deep tocenter field to put OSU ahead 4-1.
Stanford got one back in the bottom of the fourth, after a walk and a pair of singles by Rinehart and Aggabao loadedthe bases. Erin Howe scored on a sacrifice fly by Haber, but Stanford left runners at the corners and Oregon Statekept a 4-2 lead.
The Beavers did what proved to be the game-winning damage in the fifth inning, adding three more runs to the board.Mia Longfellow led off withan infield single, before DeAnn Young ripped the Beavers' second homerun of the game over the left field wall.Cambria Miranda reached on a single up the middle and Ford picked up her fifth RBI of the night with a triple toright center.
Despite a 7-2 disadvantage, the Cardinal wasn't ready to give up and put together a sixth inning rally that pulledthe team within two, 7-5. Howeled off with a single and was replaced at first on a fielder's choice by Lindsay Key. Rinehart and Aggabao putdown two more infield singles to load the bases and Haber slammed a hit to right field to score Key. Michelle Smithhit a ball to the pitcher and Rinehart beat the throw to the plate to score another Cardinal run. A grounderby Maddy Coon scored the third run of the inning, but Beaver pitcher Brianne McGowan nabbed a Koplitz line drive outof the air to end the Stanford rally.
Oregon State got an insurance run in the seventh. McGowan drew a lead-off walk and scored on a double to center bySherina Galvan.
Stanford tried to put together another rally in the seventh. Rosey Neill led off with her fifth double of the seasonand Howe drew her second walk of the game to put two on for the Cardinal with no outs. The Beavers turned a doubleplay, however, and McGowan picked up her second strikeout to end the game.
Stanford out-hit the Beavers 13-11 and posted ten or more hits for the fourth-straight game. Stanford has lost justthree times when out-hitting an opponent and posting 10+ hits, with two of those losses coming in the last two days.Stanford left 11 runners on to the Beavers' five.
Rinehart and Aggabao continued their consistency at the plate, as Rinehart went 4-for-5 and Aggabao went 3-for-4.For the weekend, Rinehart is now 7-for-9 (.778) and Aggabao is 6-for-8 (.750). Haber also notched two hits for Stanfordand continues to lead the team with a .380 overall average.
Stanford returns to the field tomorrow night, meeting the Oregon State Beavers again at 1 p.m. at Smith FamilyStadium. Stanford's two seniors, Rinehart and Key, will be honored in a pre-game Senior Day ceremony.