East Carolina University
Stanford
No. 5 Stanford Powers Past ECU
March 23, 2008 | Softball
March 23, 2008
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Stanford used two big innings to down the East Carolina softball team Sunday afternoon at Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium. The Pirates dip to 23-13 overall while the Cardinal improve their season mark to 31-2.
Stanford broke onto the scoreboard early, scoring four runs on four hits, including two home runs. Rosey Neill led off the half-inning with a solo shot while Erin Howe smashed a pitch over the right center field wall for a three-run long ball. The Cardinal had runners on first and second with two outs, but junior Brooke Howell struck out Michelle Smith to end the inning.
ECU received its first hit, a leadoff single from Stacey Andrews in the top of the third, but she was stranded as Sissy Jimenez and Christina Merrida struck out while Andrews was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice play.
Freshman Britt Howell came in to pitch for Swann at the beginning of the bottom of the third. However, Neill hit her second leadoff home run in as many bats as she gave Stanford a 5-0 advantage. The Cardinal would add four more runs in the inning. The Pirates could not muster a run in the top of the fifth as the game ended 9-0.
East Carolina returns to conference play next weekend as it travels to Tulsa for a three-game set with the Golden Hurricane. The teams will play a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Hardesty Softball Complex.
