Feb. 7, 2009
Tempe, Ariz. - Junior catcher Rosey Neill blasted a pair of two-run home runs, carrying the Stanford softball team (2-1) to a 6-1 victory over Texas Tech (2-2) today at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
Neill, who matched Stanford's single-season record with 19 long balls last season, went 2-for-3 with four RBI. It was the third time in the junior's career that she has gone deep twice in the same game, as she also did so at Oregon in 2007 and against East Carolina last year.
Freshman Ashley Hansen also had two hits, going 2-for-4 on the afternoon. Senior Maddy Coon reached on three of her four plate appearances and scored two Cardinal runs.
Senior pitcher Missy Penna fanned 13 batters in her second appearance of the season. She gave up just three hits in seven innings, all off the bat of Red Raider second baseman Leah Legler.
Tye Coats threw 4.2 innings, gave up four runs and took the loss for Texas Tech. The Cardinal outhit the Red Raiders, 7-3, and left six runners on base to the opponent's five.
Stanford got on the board in the top of the first inning, using two hits and two walks to send Hansen across. The rookie reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a shot down the left line by Coon. Neill walked to load the bases and sophomore Brittany Minder picked up the RBI with a ground ball to the second baseman.
Texas Tech raced back to tie in the third inning. Sophomore Danielle Matthews was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and, after being bunted to second, scored on Legler's second single of the game.
With the game tied in the top of the fourth, Cardinal freshman Maya Burns stepped up with a clutch double that put Stanford in front for good. After Minder reached on an error, Burns crushed her first career hit to the gap in left center and drove in pinch runner Autumn Albers from second.
Neill hit her first bomb to left field with two outs in the fifth inning, a two-run shot that gave Stanford a 4-1 cushion. On her very next at-bat, she belted her second two-run shot, this time sending one over the right field wall.
Stanford returns to the field at the Kajikawa Classic later tonight, taking on Kansas at 6:30 p.m. (MT) at the Tempe Sports Complex.