Feb. 8, 2009
Tempe, Ariz. - In a late change of schedule, the Stanford softball team (4-1) played Wagner today in its final game of the Kajikawa Classic. The Cardinal posted two six-run innings to claim a 12-0 run-rule win, marking its third rout of the weekend.
Stanford was originally scheduled to play Central Florida, but due to weather delays, the Cardinal took on the Seahawks instead.
Stanford outhit Wagner, 14-2. The Cardinal recorded eight doubles in the game and junior Shannon Koplitz belted her second home run of the year. Five Stanford players recorded multiple-hit games, and four registered multiple RBI.
Senior pitcher Missy Penna got her fourth start of the weekend and improved to 3-1 with a nine-strikeout performance. Penna allowed just two hits and posted her 34th career shutout. The Cardinal ace is now just one shutout shy of matching Becky Blevins' school record set in 1999. Wagner freshman Kaelynn Armenta suffered the loss after giving up nine runs in two innings of work.
Stanford was shut down in the first inning, but quickly went to work in the second. The Cardinal sent 10 batters to the plate in each of the next two innings and scored six runs in each frame.
In the second inning, a dropped third strike and a Wagner throwing error put runners at the corners with one out. Sophomore Melisa Koutz followed with a two-RBI shot, her first of two doubles in the game. On the next play, Sarah Hassman recorded an infield base hit, rounded the base and quickly took second. Alissa Haber followed suit, grounding a ball to first base and advancing to second when the Seahawks missed the tag. A sacrifice fly by freshman Ashley Hansen scored Hassman and Maddy Coon's third career triple made it 5-0. The final run of the inning scored on a single to left field off the bat of Rosey Neill.
To start the third inning, a infield error allowed freshman Maya Burns to reach second. Koplitz promptly followed with her home run to push the score into run-rule territory. Koutz recorded her second double of the day on the next at-bat, and scored on an infield single by Hassman. Back-to-back doubles by Haber and Hansen scored another run, and Coon hit a sacrifice fly to bring yet another one in. The final run scored when freshman pinch hitter Christina Goswiller tagged her first career hit, a double, to right field.
Stanford heads to San Diego next week to compete in the Campbell/Cartier Classic hosted by San Diego State.