March 6, 2009
Stanford, Calif. - Sophomore pitcher Ashley Chinn threw a five-hit shutout today, leading the Stanford softball team (19-1) to its 18th consecutive win. The Cardinal used seven hits to defeat Illinois State (7-8), 3-0, in its first game of the Stanford Louisville Slugger Classic.
Chinn fanned five batters and used her fifth career shutout to improve to 7-0. Illinois State starter Amber Smith (2-5) gave up all three runs and took the loss for the Redbirds.
Stanford's seven hits, which included three doubles, came off the bats of seven different players. Junior Alissa Haber built her impressive career double tally to 42, while freshman Ashley Hansen notched her 13th extra-base hit of the season.
Left fielder Jessie Buker and catcher Casey Gorrell combined to account for four of Illinois State's five hits.
In the third inning, Stanford used hits by Rosey Neill and Maddy Coon to break a scoreless tie. Neill reached on a single to right field and was replaced by Autumn Albers on first base. After a walk pushed Albers into scoring position, Coon stepped up and cracked an RBI single to give Stanford a 1-0 lead.
The team added some insurance in the sixth with a pair of doubles by rookies Jenna Becerra and Hansen. Melisa Koutz walked to lead off the inning and cruised in on Becerra's drive down the left line. Becerra then scored three batters later, when Hansen crushed a stand-up double to left.
Stanford left nine runners on base, while the Redbirds stranded eight. Illinois State's biggest threat came in the seventh, when a pair of Stanford throwing errors loaded the bases. Chinn worked out of the jam, however, and preserved her second shutout of the year.
Stanford returns to the field later today, taking on Penn State in the second game of a doubleheader. The expected start time is 3:45 p.m.