Feb. 28, 2009
Fullerton, Calif. - With one of the longest winning streaks in school history on the line, the No. 5/7 Stanford softball team (17-1) pulled out an improbable seventh-inning comeback today, edging Cal Poly 3-2 at the DeMarini Invitational.
Down 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh with just one hit on the board, the Cardinal strung together three hits and captitalized on three Cal Poly errors to squeeze out the come-from-behind win. Junior Shannon Koplitz put the game-winning ball in play, and the Mustangs made their third error of the inning to give Stanford the walk-off win.
With the victory, Stanford tied the longest winning streak in school history at 16 consecutive games. The 2002 Cardinal also won 16 straight games, with the record streak coming between Feb. 24 and Mar. 23.
Senior pitcher Missy Penna (11-1) struck out three batters in seven innings and picked up her 95th career victory. Sophomore Anna Cahn took the loss for Cal Poly after giving up four hits and one earned run in 6.2 innings.
Stanford struggled offensively for six innings, with Sarah Hassman's third-inning bunt single standing as the lone Cardinal hit heading into the final frame. Cal Poly had five hits in the game and was the first team all year to outhit the Cardinal, 5-4.
The Mustangs struck early, making Stanford pay for each of its two errors in the third inning. Right fielder Nora Sobczak reached on a Cardinal error to start the inning and on the very next play, the Cardinal overthrew first base to get in a one-out jam. Third baseman Cristen Lee came up with a clutch double down the left line on the next at-bat, which plated two unearned runs and gave Cal Poly a 2-0 lead.
That lead held until the dynamic seventh, when Stanford began the game-winning rally. With one out and still just one Stanford hit on the board, sophomore first baseman Melisa Koutz gave Stanford some momentum with a sharp single up the middle. Sophomore Brittany Minder then came in to pinch hit, and drove the first pitch she saw up the middle.
With Autumn Albers running for Koutz and Jenna Becerra back in to run for Minder, Hassman hit a ball to third base that was thrown in the dirt. The play loaded the bases for leadoff hitter Alissa Haber and the two-time All-American came through. Haber sliced a hit through the left side to score Albers and reloaded the bases for Ashley Hansen.
The rookie smoked a line drive to the left side that was snagged by Lee at third base, but when she tried to flip a throw to double off Becerra, the ball sailed off line and sent Becerra in to tie the game.
With Hassman on third and two out, Koplitz sent a chopper to shortstop that was thrown off target. The Cardinal junior was called safe at first and Hassman cruised into home to win the game.
Stanford will finish the DeMarini Invitational tomorrow, taking on host Cal State Fullerton at 1:30 p.m. at Anderson Family Field.