May 7, 2009
Seattle, Wash. - After beating Washington's All-American ace in each of the first two meetings this season, Stanford couldn't replicate the feat a third time. The Cardinal (44-7, 13-6 Pac-10) was shut out by Danielle Lawrie in the third game of the series 7-0, and failed to score for the first time in more than three months.
Washington (40-9, 13-6 Pac-10) got its 40th win of the year and pulled into a tie with the Cardinal for second place in the conference standings.
Senior pitcher Missy Penna (31-5) took the loss after allowing eight hits and six earned runs. Stanford's player of the year candidate struck out 11 in the game, marking her 17th double-digit strikeout performance this year and 10th in Pac-10 play.
Lawrie, now 31-5 as well, struck out 10, allowed three hits and secured her nation-leading 18th shutout of the season.
The Cardinal was shut down offensively for the first time since the opening day of the season, when Oklahoma State snatched a 1-0 victory at the Kajikawa Classic in Arizona. Prior to today, Stanford had scored in 48 consecutive games. Since that opening day loss, Lawrie has been the only pitcher in the nation to hold Stanford to three or fewer hits.
Stanford's best chance to score came early, as three of the team's five baserunners reached in the first inning. Alissa Haber was caught stealing after her leadoff single, and after an Ashley Hansen single, a walk by Maddy Coon and a wild pitch, the Cardinal had two runners in scoring position. Stanford couldn't capitalize however, and stranded two in the first frame.
After the consecutive singles by Haber and Hansen to start the game, pinch hitter Brittany Minder's single in the seventh was the only other hit allowed by Lawrie. Washington outhit Stanford, 8-3.
The Huskies were led by sophomore third baseman Morgan Stuart, who was 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBI. Senior Ashley Charters also had two hits for Washington.
Washington was patient at the plate and, after a double by Kimi Pohlman in the bottom of the first, worked two walks and a hit batter out of Penna. Her second walk, which was issued to Stuart, pushed the first run of the game across.
In the third inning, the Huskies struck again. Sophomore Jenn Salling led off with a single, advanced on another hit batter and scored on Stuart's first hit of the game.
In the fourth, Charters beat out an infield single, stole second and scored on a two-out Stanford error.
The Huskies blew a close game open in the bottom of the sixth, using two hits to score four runs. Charters started another inning with an infield single and moved into scoring position on another walk. A wild pitch moved both runners up and Lawrie grounded out to send one in. Another walk put two on for Stuart, who pounded a ball over the left center field fence to make it 2-0.
Stanford remains in the driver's seat for at least a share of the Pac-10 title, and will play UCLA in Los Angeles tomorrow and Saturday. The first game is set for tomorrow at 3 p.m., while the second will be played Saturday at noon.