Feb. 17, 2007
Box Score
Stanford, Calif. - The Pacific softball team suffered its first loss of the 2007 season, dropping a 6-0 decision to No. 12 Stanford on Saturday, February 17. The loss dropped the Tigers to 7-1 on the season while the Cardinal improved to 7-2 on the year.
The Tigers had their chances to pull off the upset of No. 12 Stanford throughout the day, but critical errors at critical times cost Pacific in the end. In what turned out to be a pitchers duel between both starting pitchers, sophomore Chelsea Engle (Folsom, Calif.) and Stanford's Missy Penna, came down to two plays in the fourth inning to which decided the game.
In the top half of the inning, the Tigers were able to put runners on second and third after senior Gina Carbonatto (Lake Stevens, Wash.) knocked out the Tigers' first hit of the game. With no outs, senior Jennifer Curtier (Lancaster, Calif.) lifted a fly ball into right field, but Carbonatto was unable to tag up and put Pacific on the board. The Tigers would leave both runners on the bases.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Cardinal took advantage of an error in the field by Pacific to setup their scoring chances. After loading the bases, Rosey Neill hit a deep fly ball into center field that was long enough to score the first run of the game from third base for Stanford. The Cardinal did their initial damage before recording their first hit of the game over Engle. A double down the left field line by Tricia Aggabao ended Engles' no-hit bid and put the Cardinal up by two.
From there, Penna was able shut down Pacific's lineup, relinquishing just one more hit on the day to freshman Brittany Hendrickson (San Jose, Calif.). Stanford tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a doubles by Neill and Alissa Haber.
The loss dropped Engle to 3-1 on the season as she relinquished five runs, three of them earned, while giving up five hits and striking out three in 5.0 innings.
Pacific will be in action against Missouri at 4:00 pm tonight as they enter bracket play as the No. 2 seed. Pacific defeated Missouri, 9-2, on Friday.
