May 19, 2007

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Stanford, Calif. - The No. 16/18 Cardinal softball team recorded nine hits, four doubles and a homerun, but the offensive effort fell short of the five homerun effort of the No. 3 LSU Tigers. The teams evened in the hits and errors columns, but LSU claimed the Regional title by an 11-5 margin. Stanford concludes its season with a 35-21-1 record, while LSU advances to the Tempe Super Regional with a 55-10 overall mark.

Both teams were out of the gates quickly, with a combined eight runs in the first inning and a half. LSU started the scoring less than 10 pitches in, as Stanford pitcher Missy Penna had faced just one batter, when Tiger right fielder Rachel Mitchell put her first homerun of the game over the right center field fence, giving LSU a 1-0 lead.

Stanford responded, however, and notched three hits on its first offensive chance. Alissa Haber drew a four-pitch walk with two outs and Michelle Smith followed with a single to left field. On the next at bat, Maddy Coon stepped up with her first homerun since Mar. 10, ripping a shot over the fence in left center field. The blast, Coon's fourth of the season, gave the Cardinal a 3-1 lead.

Mitchell wasted no time taking the Tiger lead back, however, launching another ball over the left center field fence in the top of the second inning, this time with bases loaded. A hit batter, a walk and a single by Andrea Smith set the table for Mitchell, and the LSU freshman brought them all in with her third homerun in three at bats.

Stanford wasn't ready to give up, however, and knotted the score at five an inning later. Tricia Aggabao led off with a single and Haber followed with a double down the right line to put two on for Smith. The Stanford junior ripped a ball to left that was dropped by the LSU outfield, and Aggabao came around to score. Coon then drilled a ball at the Tiger shortstop, which was mishandled, allowing the tying run to score.

LSU hit homeruns in the next three innings, however, to seal the win and the Stanford Regional title. In the fourth inning, center fielder Leslie Klein cracked a two-run shot to dead center. In the fifth, it was Quinlan Duhon who went deep, rocketing a ball over the fence in left center. In the sixth, a lead-off shot by Smith put the Tigers up 9-5.

The Tigers put an exclamation point on the win with two more runs in the seventh. Killian Roesser led off with a single and, after another hit batter, Tayl'r Hollis doubled to right field to drive both runners in.

Stanford's offense was led by the 2-for-3 performances of Penna and Smith, with each notching a double on the night. Coon had four RBI to lead the team for the weekend, and Coon, Smith, Penna and Jackie Rinehart were named to the Stanford Regional All-Tournament Team.

Stanford Regional All-Tournament Team
Robin Mackin, Fresno State
Haley Perkins, Fresno State
Missy Penna, Stanford
Jackie Rinehart, Stanford
Maddy Coon, Stanford
Michelle Smith, Stanford
Rachel Mitchell, LSU
Andrea Smith, LSU
Dani Hofer, LSU
Quinlan Duhon, LSU
Emily Turner, LSU
Vanessa Soto, LSU

MVP: Rachel Mitchell, LSU