Feb. 23, 2001

Box Score

NFCA/Leadoff Classic

Game #1

#9 Stanford 4, UIC 0

Columbus, Ga. - The ninth-ranked Stanford Cardinal made their five hits count on Friday afternoon versus the UIC softball team as four left the yard for solo home runs leading to a 4-0 triumph over the Flames in the opening game for both teams at the NFCA/Leadoff Classic.

UIC, meanwhile, managed just one hit off Cardinal pitchers Maureen LeCocq (5-0) and Jaime Forman-Lau, who combined for nine strikeouts while walking none in the shutout victory.

Stanford's Jessica Mendoza, who had a pair of homers in the game and now has four on the season, set the tone in the first inning with a two out solo blast to right-center field off Flames starter Rory Gonzales-Gould to stake the Cardinal to a 1-0 lead.

The score would remain 1-0 until the top of the fifth inning when with two outs Cassi Brangham notched her first home run of the season. Stanford (13-1) would strike again with two outs in the top of the sixth inning as back-to-back homers by Mendoza and Sarah Beeson put the Cardinal up for good, 4-0.

The Flames (9-8) did have a scoring chance in the bottom of the fourth inning as Edel Leyden, who led off the frame, reached second on an error by right fielder Ramona Shelburne. Stefanie Christoferson followed with a sacrifice bunt, but Leyden was left stranded at third as Jacquelyne Vaca and Amanda Rivera both struck out to end the inning.

Gonzales-Gould, who pitched 5 2/3 innings while allowing four hits and four earned runs, picked up her first loss of the season.

Game #2

Seton Hall 5, UIC 0

Columbus, Ga. - UIC's bats remained dormant in its second game of the NFCA/Leadoff Classic on Friday and the Flames fell to 0-2 in pool play as they were shutout, 5-0, at the hands of Seton Hall.

The Flames scratched out five hits versus the Pirates, but were unable to get an RBI knock as they left six runners on base and were shutout for the fourth time this season.

With the loss, UIC is now 9-9 on the year.

Much like Stanford in the first game, Seton Hall used the long ball to get on the board first as Amy Mellin's two-run first inning blast off Flames' starter Alycia Creese (4-4) put the Pirates up 2-0.

Seton Hall would post a pair of unearned runs in the fifth inning, then add one more in the sixth for the final 5-0 tally.

Creese pitched 4 2/3 innings for the Flames and picked up the loss. The rookie gave up three hits and allowed four runs with two being earned. Fellow freshmen Alison Aguilar and Amanda Ritchie both pitched in relief of Creese.

Misty Beaver (1-0) picked up the win for Seton Hall in her first start of the year, going the distance while fanning 10 Flames.

UIC will have its work cut out for it tomorrow as they wrap up pool play with #6 LSU, before advancing to elimination play.