March 9, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - The 10th-ranked Stanford softball team run-ruled Ole Miss, 13-5 in five innings, Friday, to open the Louisville Slugger Classic at Smith Family Stadium. The Cardinal improves to 20-3 overall, while the Rebels drop to 11-8.
Freshman pitcher Nyree White started the game in the circle, but was replaced by junior Teagan Gerhart in the first inning. Gerhart picked up the win, improving to 19-1. She finished with three strikeouts in five innings pitched. Ole Miss pitcher Erinn Jayjohn took the loss, dropping to 1-4.
Ole Miss jumped out to a 3-0 lead over Stanford in the top of the first. With two runners on and no outs, centerfielder RT Cantillo hit a double to left center, scoring Corrine Doornberg and left fielder Brittany Broome. Cantillo scored the third run for the Rebels on an RBI single by shortstop Allison Brown.
The Cardinal answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. With runners on second and third with two outs, Leah White scored on a wild pitch by Kelly Chandler, which allowed Jenna Rich to advance to third. Rich then scored on an illegal pitch by Chandler.
Leah White tied it up at 3-3 in the bottom of the second as she hit an RBI single to left field to score catcher Michelle Prong. The Cardinal then loaded the bases, but was unable to capitalize and stranded all three of the base runners.
Stanford took the lead in the bottom of the fourth as senior Ashley Hansen hit a single up the middle with the bases loaded to score sophomore Caitlyn Pura. Rich then drew a walk to score freshman Hanna Winter and right fielder Corey Hanewich registered an RBI single to center to score Leah White. The Cardinal pushed the lead to 7-3 as first baseman Tegan Schmidt reached on a fielder's choice, which scored Hansen.
The Rebels cut the lead to 7-5 in the fifth as first baseman Londen Ladner hit a two-run home run to left centerfield.
The Cardinal added six runs in the bottom of the inning to put the run rule in effect. With the bases loaded, a wild pitch by Ole Miss pitcher Lauren Lindsey allowed Pura to score and the other runners to advance. Hansen then hit a two run single up the middle, scoring both Winter and Leah White. Schmidt added another run as she reached on a fielder's choice allowing Hansen to cross the plate. Burns finished off the Rebels as she hit a double to left center, scoring Hanewich and Schmidt.
Up next, the Cardinal will face James Madison for its second game of the day. Stanford will then continue the Louisville Slugger Classic on Saturday, March 10 with a double-header against Colorado State at 11:15 a.m. and Ole Miss at 1:30 p.m. at Smith Family Stadium.