#4 Stanford Needs Nine to Top Ducks, 2-0

Friday, April 24

Palo Alto, Calif.

7:00 PM

University of Oregon

15-27, 2-11

Stanford

39-6, 8-5

OREGON

Stanford

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

04/25/09 | Softball

Box Score

By: GoDucks.com

* A boxscore and play-by-play is located in the LINKS box to the right, and updated season/career stats are available via the link above.

STANFORD, Calif. - A two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning by Stanford's Shannon Koplitz was the only blemish in an otherwise impressive pitching performance Friday evening by Oregon freshman Samantha Skillingstad (11-11).

The Duck softball team (15-27, 2-11) pushed the Cardinal (39-6, 8-5) to extra innings in a pitching dual that also featured senior Missy Penna for the returning Super Regional advancers.

The Spokane, Wash., native Skillingstad penned one of her most memorable moments of the season in the bottom of the eighth inning when the Cardinal loaded the bases via a single and two walks - all with no outs. Skillingstad responded with strikeouts of Stanford's 6-7-8 hitters to quiet the raucous crowd of 672.

Overall, Skillingstad matched her season-high in strikeouts (10) that she also registered in late February against then-No. 12 Missouri in San Diego. In her 8 2/3-inning complete game - her team-best 13th of the season - she walked seven Cardinal hitters Friday, allowed only five hits, and both runs allowed were earned.

Skillingstad now has 140 strikeouts this season and still ranks eighth - now only 13 behind the seventh-best Duck mark set by Alicia Cook last season (153).

Hitting safely for UO were juniors Neena Bryant and Shelley Deadmond and freshman Lindsey Chambers. The Placentia, Calif., native Bryant's single in the sixth inning extended the team's current long hitting streak to seven games.

The Ducks left six on base for the game, including three in the fourth inning when after two outs, junior Carlyn Re was hit by a pitch, and sophomore Monique Fuiava and freshman Kelsey Chambers walked. However, a strikeout ended the inning.

Pitching a complete game herself, Stanford's All-America pitcher Missy Penna (26-4) struck out 12 and walked two.

The Cardinal were no-hit the first 3 2/3 innings until Melisa Kouts singled to right field Overall, Koplitz led the home team in hits for the game (2-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBI), and two other batters in their lineup hit safely.

In the ninth inning, the Duck defense continued to do its part as sophomore catcher Kaitlin Vitek made a diving catch of a foul ball near the backstop fence for the first out. Leadoff hitter Alissa Haber answered with a single to shortstop then stole second base, but Skillingstad got the next batter to pop out to second base for the second out. Koplitz then hit her towering shot off a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence - her eighth of the season.

Looking ahead, UO plays at No. 15 California Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at noon.

LINESCORE

Stanford 2, OREGON 0 (Apr 24, 2009 at Stanford, Calif.)
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OREGON.............. 000 000 000 - 0 3 0 (15-27, 2-11 Pac-10)
Stanford............ 000 000 002 - 2 5 0 (39-6, 8-5 Pac-10)
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Pitchers: OREGON - Skillingstad, Sam and Vitek, Kaitlin. Stanford - Penna, Missy and
Neill, Rosey.
Win-Penna, Missy(27-4) Loss-Skillingstad, Sam(11-11) T-2:28 A-672
HR STAN - Koplitz, Shannon (8).
Weather: 52, wind 3-7mph, partly cloudy

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