May 21, 2009
Stanford, Calif. - Senior second baseman Maddy Coon pounded a three-run home run to cap a six-run Cardinal fifth inning, leading the Stanford softball team to a 6-4 come-from-behind win over Arizona tonight in NCAA Super Regional action.
Stanford improves to 48-9 on the year, and is now one victory away from its third trip to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. Arizona drops to 44-15 on the year with the loss, its third setback in a row against the Cardinal. The two teams will play again tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at Smith Family Stadium with a second game set for 8 p.m. if necessary.
Charged with holding the nation's top offense at bay, senior pitcher Missy Penna (35-6) struck out seven Wildcats and allowed nine hits. She claimed her 35th win of the year, pulling within two of the single-season record she set as a junior. With her 119th career win, she is now tied with former Cal pitcher Michele Granger as the 14th-winningest pitcher in NCAA history and the fifth-winningest in Pac-10 history.
Junior Sarah Akamine took the loss for the Wildcats, allowing four earned runs in five innings and falling to 22-7 on the year.
Stanford posted six hits in the game, three of which came in its game-winning rally. Junior Shannon Koplitz and freshman Sarah Hassman each registered two of those hits to pace the team. Coon's home run accounted for three of the Stanford RBI, including what proved to be the game-winner, and marked her fifth long ball of the season. It was the 40th of the year for the team, making the 2009 squad the fifth team in school history to hit 40 or more home runs.
Arizona's nine hits came off of six different bats. Brittany Lastrapes, K'Lee Arredondo and Lini Koria collected two hits apiece.
The win was the first in a Super Regional game in Stanford history, as the team went into tonight 0-6 in Super Regional contests since the three-game series was implemented in 2005. Stanford has been to the Women's College World Series twice before - in 2001 and 2004 - and qualified each time by winning a six or eight team regional on its home field.
Stanford has now beaten Arizona three times in a row. Prior to this year, the Cardinal only had five all-time wins against the Wildcats and had never beaten them twice in the same season.
Arizona came out swinging right away, using three hits to open up the scoring in the top of the first inning. Lastrapes singled up the middle in the leadoff spot and Arredondo followed with a bunt single. A fielder's choice and a strikeout put two away, but an ensuing walk issued to first baseman Sam Banister loaded the bases. Koria then popped a single into left field that scored Lastrapes, but Cardinal outfielder Alissa Haber gunned Jenae Leles down at the plate when she tried to score on the play as well.
From there Penna held the Wildcats hitless for four consecutive innings, allowing her team to go into the bottom of the fifth still just one run back. Freshman Jenna Becerra reached second on a throwing error by Akamine to start the inning and Hassman dove around a tag at first to beat out a single to the Wildcat first baseman. After Hassman stole second, Arizona intentionally walked Haber to load the bases for Ashley Hansen. The rookie came through, slamming a hard shot off of Banister at first base that allowed both Becerra and Hassman to score. With the lead and still no outs, Koplitz sent a single through the right side to score Haber and make it 3-1. Coon then connected on Akamine's 1-0 pitch for her 28th career homer, crushing the ball over the wall in left center field to push the Stanford advantage to 6-1.
The Wildcats battled however, coming up with four hits in the sixth inning to push two runs across. Arredondo singled to begin the rally and a single by Leles, coupled with another Banister walk, loaded the bases for Koria again. The freshman once again came through with a single to left, scoring Arredondo. Victoria Kemp singled on the next at bat to drive in another run, but Penna came up with back-to-back K's to get out of the jam.
In the seventh, the Wildcats tried again, but Penna and the Stanford defense held tight. A single and an error put two on with no outs, but Penna forced a pop-up and a ground out to come within one out of the win. Banister registered an RBI single to keep the inning alive, but a ground ball to Koplitz was handled successfully and Stanford walked away with the win.
Game time tomorrow is set for 5:30 p.m. at Smith Family Stadium. The if necessary game is set for 8 p.m. The first game will be televised live on ESPN, with the second set to be aired on ESPN2.