March 12, 2006

Box Score

Stanford, Calif. - The Pacific softball team's late comeback came up just short as the Tigers fell to No. 5 Stanford, 4-3, on Sunday, March 12. With the loss the Tigers dropped to 9-9 on the year while the Cardinal improved to 22-4.

One big inning by the Cardinal sent Pacific to its fifth one run loss of the season and their first loss of the Stanford Classic, in just its second game of the tournament due to weather conditions. With intermittent rain and wet playing conditions, the Tigers came up just short of pulling off an upset win over the No. 5 team in the country.

The damage for the Tigers came in the fourth inning as the Cardinal were able to push across four runs in the inning, led off by an RBI single by Tricia Aggabao. With two outs, Aggabao fought of an inside pitch off the hands to punch the ball over the top of senior Crystal Presson (Livermore, Calif.) at third base. From there, Stanford loaded the bases and punched across two on a single through the middle by Catalina Morris. Up three, Stanford took advantage of an errant throw on a stolen base attempt to push across the fourth run of the inning and the eventual game-winner.

Down four runs, the Tigers offense responded in the fifth inning, taking advantage of a one out single by freshman Lauren Weyman (Carlsbad, Calif.). With one on and one out, Presson roped a double over third base, scoring Weyman to crack the scoreboard.

One inning later, Pacific continued their comeback as junior Jennifer Curtier (Lancaster, Calif.) took a 3-2 pitch through the right side to start things off. Curtier finished the game 2-for-3, extending her hitting streak to 10 games. Senior Kristen Allen (Citrus Heights, Calif.) brought the Tigers within one, ripping her third home run of the season to left field, driving in her team leading 14th and 15th RBIs. Junior Lizzie Hagen (Anaheim, Calif.) followed with her third triple of the season, but Pacific was unable to bring her home in the inning.

Junior Gina Carbonatto (Lake Stevens, Wash.) singled with two outs in the seventh to give the Tigers a chance, but the Cardinal grabbed the third and final out to end Pacific's upset bid.

In the circle, freshman Briana Santos (Garden Grove, Calif.) dropped her second contest of the season to fall to 4-2 overall. She went 4.0 innings, giving up five hits and four runs while striking out two and walking four.

For the Cardinal, Missy Penna improved to 13-2 on the season, pitching 5.1 innings while relinquishing six hits and three runs while striking out two and walking one. Becky McCullough picked up her first save of the season, going 1.2 innings while giving up one hit and striking out two.