May 18, 2007

Box Score |  Quotes

Stanford, Calif. - The Cardinal softball team battled today and picked up a 3-0 win over Cal State Northridge in the team's second game of the Stanford Regional. Missy Penna stepped up and pitched a two-hitter and Rosey Neill blasted a homerun to help Stanford stay alive and move on to tonight's Game 5. Stanford improves to 34-20-1 on the year, while CS Northridge ends its season with a 23-23-1 record.

After four scoreless innings, the Cardinal finally capitalized on two hits and a pair of Matador errors in the fifth. With one out, first baseman Erin Howe doubled to left center and put Stanford's third runner of the game in scoring position. On the next at bat, Penna grounded to shortstop and a Matador error allowed Howe to score and Penna to come around to second base. Senior Jackie Rinehart then moved Penna to third with an infield single, and, when the Cardinal left fielder stole second, Penna scored on another Cal State Northridge error.

Neill single-handedly tacked the third run on the board, taking the first pitch of the seventh inning for a ride over the center field fence. The homerun was the seventh for the Stanford catcher this season and gave her her 33rd RBI of the year.

Penna struck out eight in the two-hit shutout, her sixth two-hitter of the year. The Cardinal had five hits in the game, with two off the bat of Rinehart and three for extra bases. The Matadors only hits were a pair of singles by shortstop Micah Putnam.

Stanford will meet Fresno State in another elimination game, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. The winner will meet LSU tomorrow live on ESPN2 tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.