March 30, 2012
TUCSON, Ariz. - The No. 13 Stanford softball team posted a 4-1 win at No. 19 Arizona, Friday, to pick up its first Pac-12 Conference win of the season at Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. The Cardinal improves to 27-6 overall and 1-3 in the conference, while the Wildcats drop to 21-9 overall and to 0-4 in the Pac-12.
Stanford snapped an eight-game losing streak to Arizona, which has started the conference season 0-4 for the first time in school history.
Junior pitcher Teagan Gerhart tossed a two-hitter and picked up her 22nd win of the year. She finished with nine strikeouts while allowing just one run on two hits. Arizona's Shelby Babcock took the loss, dropping to 11-6 overall. She had four strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched.
Stanford jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Rookies Hanna Winter and Leah White put two runners on with a single through the left side and a bunt single, respectively. With two outs, senior Jenna Becerra reached on an error by Wildcat third baseman Brigette Del Ponte. Sophomore Corey Hanewich made Arizona pay, hitting a single up the middle to score Winter and White in the next at-bat.
The third inning was similar to the first as the Cardinal added two more runs to the scoreboard. White and Hansen led off the third with back-to-back singles. With two outs, senior catcher Maya Burns hit a single to left field, scoring both runners.
Arizona avoided the shutout, scoring one run in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs and a runner on second, Del Ponte hit her first triple of the season to put the Wildcats on the board.
Stanford and Arizona continue the three-game series on Saturday, March 31. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Hillenbrand Stadium.