April 2, 2011
STANFORD, Calif. - The 12th-ranked Stanford softball team dropped a 6-1 decision to seventh-ranked Arizona, Saturday, at Smith Family Stadium. The Cardinal is now 0-2 in the Pac-10 and 24-6 overall, while the Wildcats improve to 2-0 in the conference and 31-6 on the season.
Stanford senior Ashley Chinn suffered her first loss of the year, falling to 11-1 overall. She struck out three batters, while giving up nine hits and just two earned runs. Arizona freshman Shelby Babcock picked up the win, improving to 12-2 on the season. Sophomore Kenzie Fowler registered her second save of the season for the Wildcats.
Offensively, Stanford junior Sarah Hassman led the team with two hits and a run scored. Freshman designated player Danielle Miller tallied an RBI single in the first inning, while junior shortstop Ashley Hansen drew four walks in the game.
The Cardinal jumped on the Wildcats in the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead. Hassman led off with an infield single and Hansen drew a walk in her first at-bat. The pair advanced on a passed ball by Arizona catcher Stacie Chambers. Miller then brought Hassman home on a single to left field.
Stanford threatened in the bottom of the second, but stranded three runners. Senior first baseman Melisa Koutz led off the inning with a walk and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman right fielder Corey Hanewich. Babcock then walked Hassman and Hansen to load the bases with one out. However, sophomore Jenna Rich struck out and Miller popped up to the first baseman to end the inning with the score still 1-0.
rizona answered in the top of the third, scoring two runs to capture the lead. Stanford threatened again in the fourth inning, loading the bases with no outs. However, Rich grounded out into a double-play in which the Wildcats also got Hanewich out at the plate. Then, after the Wildcats replaced Babcock with Fowler, Arizona center fielder Lauren Schutzler made a diving catch on a well-hit ball by Miller to end the inning.
The Wildcats increased their lead to 4-1 in the sixth inning on a two-run home run by shortstop Alex Lavine. First baseman Baillie Kirker had reached on an error by Cardinal third baseman Michelle Prong. Arizona added two more runs in the top of the seventh to complete the scoring.
At the end of the game, the Cardinal had left 13 runners on base and failed to take advantage of scoring opportunities.
Stanford and Arizona wrap up the three-game series, Sunday, at Smith Family Stadium. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. PT.