March 26, 2011
Stanford Box Score / Pacific Box Score
STANFORD, Calif. - The Coastal Carolina University softball team dropped both games on the first day of the Stanford Invitational, falling 10-2 to #12 Stanford in game one and 4-0 to Pacific in the nightcap. The Chanticleers fall to 14-15 on the season.
In the first game for the Chanticleers against tournament host #12 Stanford, the Cardinal got off to a good start, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Stanford led off with three hits in a row, all scoring to give the Cardinal a 3-0 lead.
After stranding three runners in the second and two runners in the third, Coastal finally got on the board in the top of the fourth, scoring two runs to cut the Cardinal lead to one. Junior Stacy Snellings led off the inning with a hit to right field and sophomore Olivia Piccirillo sent her to second on a sacrifice bunt. Snellings went to third on a wild pitch and senior Ashley Pisone brought her home on a hit up the middle to cut the Stanford lead to two before she stole second to give the Chanticleers a runner in scoring position. Junior Sarah Maples kept the inning alive, reaching first base on an error at third, which allowed Pisone to score, cutting the Cardinal lead to one at 3-2.
Stanford answered back, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth. After a lead-off single, Corey Hanewich hit a home run to left center for a 5-2 lead. Following the home run, Sarah Hassman singled to the short stop and stole second. Hassman was sent to third on a hit by Ashley Hansen and came home on a wild pitch for a 6-2 Stanford lead.
The Cardinal added two more runs in the fifth on a two-run homer to centerfield by Caitlyn Pura.
In the bottom of the sixth, Stanford put two more insurance runs on the board for a 10-2 lead, ending the game.
Senior Michelle Evans started in the circle for the Chants, allowing eight runs on 13 hits in 5.0 innings pitched. Evans got the loss, falling to 4-5 on the season. Senior Katelin Edwards pitched in relief, giving up two runs on one hit.
Stanford's Ashley Chinn recorded the win to improve to 9-0 overall and allowed two runs on six hits while striking out eight.
In the second game against Pacific, the Tigers got out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning. Amy Moore, who doubled to centerfield and advanced to third on a single by Alexa Rivera, came home on an error at third base.
The Tigers added another run in the bottom of the third inning. Megan Hom reached first on a bunt and went to second on a pass ball. Megan Foglesong brought Hom home on a single up the middle to give Pacific a 2-0 lead.
In the fifth, Pacific scored its final two runs of the game. Lindsey Pierce led off the inning with a single and was brought home on Nicole Matson's single to the shortstop for a 3-0 Tiger lead. Matson, who came home on a double by Nikki Armagost, was the final run to come across the plate for a 4-0 Pacific win.
Freshman Ashley Bagwell pitched a complete game for Coastal, falling to 7-6 on the season after allowing four runs on nine hits. Pacific's Tori Shepard earned the win, giving up just three hits while striking out 11 Chants.
After day one, the Chanticleers recorded nine hits with Pineda tallying one hit in each game.
Coastal returns to the field for the second day of the Stanford Invitational Saturday, March 26, as it faces San Diego State at 2 p.m. (ET).
