March 1, 2009
Fullerton, Calif. - Senior pitcher Missy Penna joined 10 of the most elite pitchers in Pac-10 history today and carried the Cardinal to a school-record 17th consecutive win. The Cardinal ace blanked Cal State Fullerton, 7-0, on its home field and nabbed her 1,000th career strikeout, becoming the first active player in the country to reach the notable landmark.
Entering the game three K's short of the milestone, Penna fanned batter No. 1,000 in the third inning. Penna, the nation's active strikeout leader, is the 11th player in Pac-10 history to accomplish the feat. Dana Sorensen is the only other Stanford player to do so, having fanned 1,154 batters in her impressive career between 2000 and 2004.
Penna joins a list of the greatest pitchers in Pac-10 history in the 1,000-K club. In addition to Sorensen, that list includes Alicia Hollowell (Arizona '06), Katie Burkhart (Arizona State '08), Michele Granger (California '93), Anjelica Selden (UCLA '08), Tayrne Mowatt (Arizona '08), Jocelyn Forest (California '02), Keira Goerl (UCLA '04), Kristina Thorson (California '06) and Jennie Finch (Arizona '02).
Stanford's win was its 17th in a row, breaking the previous school record of 16 consecutive wins set in 2002. The team returns home with an 18-1 record, having not not lost since being upset by Oklahoma State on the opening day of the season.
The Cardinal outhit the host Titans, 11-2, and was led by the 3-for-3 performances of juniors Alissa Haber and Shannon Koplitz. Haber posted a single, a double and a triple and scored three times, while Koplitz used her three hits to rack up three RBI. Sophomore Melisa Koutz had two hits in the game, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Penna (12-1) fanned six batters and earned her 38th shutout, building on the school record she set last week. The Cardinal ace allowed just two hits, both off the bat of Titan designated player Trina Harrison. Ari Cervantes (2-5) took the loss for Cal State Fullerton.
Stanford opened up the game with three consecutive hits, as Haber, Ashley Hansen and Koplitz teamed up to generate two early runs. Haber laid down a bunt single to get herself on, and raced to third after a double down the right line by Hansen. Koplitz stepped up and cracked a single up the middle to send both runners home and give Stanford a 2-0 lead.
In the next inning, Stanford's 13th triple of the year helped the team post another run. Koutz singled to center to put the leadoff runner on, and with two outs, Haber crushed her seventh career triple into the left center field gap.
Stanford scrambled up three more runs in the fourth, sending eight batters to the plate and recording three more hits. Senior Maddy Coon led off with a double to right center, and Koutz added her second single of the game to put another runner aboard. A ground out advanced the runners to second and third, and Sarah Hassman slapped a ball in play that scored the first run. A walk loaded the bases and Hansen grounded a ball to shortstop that scored another run. The third run scored when Koplitz popped her third hit of the game into left field.
Stanford pushed the lead to 7-0 in the top of the sixth. Haber pounded a double to left center, and was driven in three batters later when Rosey Neill poked a single into center field.
The Cardinal returns home to host the Stanford Louisville Slugger Invitational next weekend. Illinois State, Penn State, Vermont, UC Davis and San Diego State will all compete in the event, which begins Friday at 9 a.m. at Smith Family Stadium. Stanford's first game will be against Illinois State at 1:30 p.m. Friday.