April 26, 2011
DAVIS, Calif. - The 13th-ranked Stanford softball team shut out UC Davis, 6-0, Tuesday, at La Rue Field in Davis, Calif. The Cardinal improves to 33-10 overall, while the Aggies fall to 19-22 on the season.
Sophomore pitcher Teagan Gerhart moved to 18-8 on the season in the win. She stuck out six batters and gave up just two hits without issuing a walk in five innings. Senior Ashley Chinn entered the game in relief, throwing two scoreless innings without giving up a hit. UC Davis' Alex Holmes took the loss, falling to 13-15 on the year.
Stanford took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Junior Sarah Hassman led off with a walk and then stole second. She moved to third on a passed ball by UC Davis catcher Rachel Miller. Junior shortstop Ashley Hansen brought Hassman home with a single to left field. Hansen managed to advance to third as UC Davis left fielder JJ Wagoner misplayed the ball in the outfield.
Hansen made it 2-0 in favor of the Cardinal with a solo home run to right field in the top of the third. It marks the seventh long ball of the season for the shortstop.
Still in the third, Stanford capitalized on another UC Davis error, loading the bases with just one out. Senior first baseman Melisa Koutz drew a walk to score Jenna Rich and give the Cardinal the 3-0 advantage. UC Davis' Jessica Thweatt was brought in to replace Holmes in the circle. Thweatt struck out the next two batters to get the Aggies out of the inning without any more damage done to the scoreboard.
Sanford added three more runs in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead over the Aggies. Koutz singled to left field and right fielder Jaquiln Edwards tallied an infield single to put two runners on for the Cardinal. Hassman then single to left field, but another UC Davis error allowed Koutz and Edwards to score. Hassman advanced all the way to third on the miscue. Freshman Corey Hanewich knocked in the third run of the inning with an infield single.
With the win, Stanford has now defeated UC Davis three times this season.
Up next, the Cardinal plays host to its final Pac-10 Conference series of the season against the Washington Huskies, Apr. 29 - May 1 at Smith Family Stadium. Stanford will honor its two seniors, Ashley Chinn and Melisa Koutz, prior to Sunday's game.