May 21, 1999
FRESNO, Calif. - The Stanford University softball team lost to Fresno State 5-2 and was eliminated from the NCAA Region IV Softball Tournament on Friday night. With the loss, Stanford concludes its season with a 40-25 record.
Fresno State (62-8) scored the first run of the game on a questionable base hit in the third inning. With two outs and a runner on second, center fielder Becky Witt hit a hard ground ball that appeared to roll left of the third base bag. The home plate umpire ruled it a fair ball and shortstop Alicia Dowland came around to score. On the very next play, a Stanford error allowed Witt to score and soon it was a 2-0 Fresno State lead.
Being the competitors that they are, Stanford never gave up and scored a single run in the top of the fifth inning. Freshman Sarah Beeson led off the inning with a double off the center field fence and later scored on a fielder's choice ground out by senior Marcy Crouch.
However, Fresno State responded with three unearned runs in the bottom of the inning. The first two batters reached base via an error and then an infield single made it a 3-1 score. An infield ground out brought home another run and then a two-out base hit to left field gave the Bulldogs a four-run advantage.
Stanford battled back again in the sixth inning with another run. With one out, Jessica Mendoza hit a single to left that scored junior Kellie Wiginton, who reached base on a walk. Unfortunately, that was as close as Stanford would get in the 5-2 loss.
In the circle, senior Becky Blevins pitched brilliantly for the Cardinal as she gave up just three hits and one earned run in her final collegiate appearance.
R H E Stanford 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 - 2 3 4 Fresno State 0 0 2 0 3 0 x - 5 3 2
STAN: Blevins and Wiginton FSU: Scott and Slaney WP: Scott (27-3) LP: Blevins (19-13) 2B: Beeson (STAN), Witt (FSU)