POWAY, CA - The Stanford softball team captured two of its three games today at the Campbell/Cartier Classic to run its record to 4-1 in the tournament and 6-1 overall. Stanford enters the final day of the tourney in a four-way tie for first with No. 4 Michigan, No. 14 Long Beach State and Louisiana State. The Cardinal, which defeated Long Beach State and lost to LSU, will face Michigan and host San Diego State tomorrow. With wins over the Wolverines and Aztecs, coupled with an LSU loss to the 49ers, Stanford can capture the title that just eluded it last season. The Cardinal, which finished last year's classic 5-2, lost to the 49ers 3-1 in what proved to be the championship game of the round-robin tournament.

Stanford opened the day with a decisive 7-0 victory over Santa Clara. Four Cardinal posted multiple-hit games to propel Stanford's 12-hit attack while Becky Blevins (Scottsdale, AZ/Horizon HS) and Jessica Schulman (Los Angeles, CA/Crossroads HS) combined to limit the Broncos to just three hits. Schulman (1-0) entered the game in the fourth inning and held Santa Clara to just one hit over the final four frames to pick up her first victory of the season.

Blevins and Schulman again shared duty on the mound in the next game, combining on a four-hit shutout of the Eastern Michigan in a 4-0 Stanford win. Blevins earned the victory this time around, throwing four scoreless innings while Schulman picked up the squad's first save of the season with three scoreless innings of relief. The shutout was Stanford's fourth in six games. Junior third baseman Michele Acosta (Tucson, AZ/University HS) paced the Cardinal offense, going 4-for-4 with a double and an rbi. Kellie Wiginton (Fresno, CA/Bullard HS).

Despite a solid effort by junior pitcher Marcy Crouch (Huntington Beach, CA/Marina HS), Stanford suffered its first setback of the season in a 4-1 loss to upstart Louisiana State in the nightcap for both teams. Strong pitching and solid defense by both squads kept the game scoreless until the fifth inning when LSU's Tara Asbill lined a two-out, bases loaded single to centerfield which cleared the bases and gave the Tigers what proved to be an insurmountable 3-0 lead. Stanford and LSU traded runs over the last two innings for the final 4-1 score. Crouch (2-1) went the distance, giving up seven hits while walking none and striking out three in her first loss of the season.

Results:
              R   H   E                     R   H   E
Stanford      7   12  0   Louisiana State   4   7   1
Santa Clara   0   3   1   Stanford          1   6   1

                  R   H   E
Stanford          4   10  0
Eastern Michigan  0   4   3