No. 8 Stanford 3, Bradley 0

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Bradley managed just two hits off Stanford starter Teagan Gerhart as the Braves wrapped up play at the Stanford Nike Invitational with a 3-0 loss to the eighth-ranked Cardinal Sunday.

Singles by sophomore Madeline Lynch-Crumrine in the second and senior Julie Sherman in the sixth were the only hits on the day for Bradley (4-6 overall), with the Braves having just four players reach base against Gerhart in BU's third game this season against a nationally ranked squad.

Lynch-Crumrine scattered nine Stanford (8-3 overall) hits in the complete game effort and gave up just two earned runs in the contest as she fell to 2-4 on the year. Three of Lynch-Crumrine's four losses have come to nationally ranked teams and she has given up five earned runs in her last 31 innings.

Bradley got out of a few jams in the early innings, before Stanford finally pushed a pair of runs across in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back singles were followed by a BU error on a sacrifice bunt attempt to load the bases for the Cardinal. The Braves got a force out at the plate for the first out of the inning, but Jenna Rich singled to left to drive in the first run of the game. Another force out at the plate was followed by a two-out, bases loaded walk by Jenna Becerra to score Ashley Hansen from third and put Stanford in front 2-0.

The Cardinal added an insurance run in the sixth to take a 3-0 lead. Corey Hanewich got things started with a two-out single and advanced to second on a Bradley error on the play. Hanewich moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by Leah White.

Gerhart picked up the win in the circle for Stanford, upping her record to 8-1 this spring. She struck out three and walked one in the complete game, two-hit shutout.


No. 5 Arizona State 14, Illinois State 3

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Illinois State softball team took an early lead against No. 5/6 Arizona State, but the Sun Devils used an 11-run second inning to power past the Redbirds, 14-3, in five innings. Juniors Elizabeth Kay and Lauren Kellar each homered, accounting for two of ISU's four hits.

A solo home run with two outs in the first by Annie Lockwood gave ASU an early 1-0 lead, but the Redbirds responded by scoring a pair of runs in the top the second. Kay led off the inning by clearing the fence in center field and sophomore Laura Canopy followed with a single to left. Senior Caiti Kopp walked to put runners at first and second with no outs. Redshirt sophomore Sara Bradley pushed a bunt through the right side of the infield to score Canopy from second and ISU took a 2-1 lead. Arizona State starter Dallas Escobedo retired the next three Illinois State hitters in order to strand runners at the corners.

The Sun Devils countered by scoring 11 runs in their half of the second on seven hits and took advantage of an errant throw from ISU starter Jordan Birch early in the inning. Alix Johnson coaxed a walk to lead off the inning and Sam Parlich reached on Birch's error to put runners at the corners. Amber Freeman then tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single back through the middle. Christian Zambrana gave ASU a 3-2 lead on a sacrifice fly to left that scored Parlich, before the Arizona bats came alive as the next four Sun Devils reached, chasing Birch after just 1.2 innings.

Freshman Sophia Perez took over for Birch in the circle, but failed to record an out as she gave up four runs on three hits and a walk, including Haley Steele's two-run homer, before ISU used its third pitcher of the inning in senior Megan Warner. Warner struck out the first batter she faced to put an end to the inning, ending a string of nine-straight Sun Devils hitters to reach base.

ASU added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth on two-run double by Bethany Kemp and Kellar hit her second long ball of the year for the Redbirds in the top of the fifth to make the final tally, 14-3.

Birch took the loss to fall to 4-2 on the year, allowing five runs, two earned, on eight hits. Warner tossed the final 2.1 innings, recording five strikeouts and giving up just two hits in relief.

Illinois State will be back in action next Friday at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla., when it opens the three-day event against Boston at 12 p.m. CST.


Creighton 5, Northern Illinois 1

DENTON, Texas - Alexis Cantu homered and picked up the win in the circle as the Creighton softball team defeated Northern Illinois 5-1 Sunday morning to conclude play at the rain-shortened Fairfield Inn & Suites Classic hosted by North Texas. Cantu launched a three-run home run in a four-run first inning and went four innings to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Creighton improved to 7-0 with the win, its best start since the 1987 team set a school-record by winning 10 straight games to start the season. The win was CU's second over NIU on the weekend, dropping the Huskies to 3-5 on the year.

Just as she has done all season, freshman Allie Mathewson got the Bluejay offense started in the first inning, singling to start the game. She moved to second on a bunt single by Ellen Homan and scored on an RBI single by Amy Baker. Cantu, a sophomore transfer from UT Arlington, followed with her first home run as a Bluejay, giving the Jays a 4-0 lead after four hitters.

NIU would not get on the board until the fourth inning, plating a run on an RBI double by Carly Norton.

The Jays regained their four-run lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Cantu doubled to start the inning. Ashley Frutos pinch-ran for Cantu and would score the final run of the game on a passed ball.

Becca Changstrom pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the save for the Bluejays, her first of the year and second of her career. The game was called after six innings due to a time limit placed before the game due to NIU's travel arrangements.

Cantu (2-0) allowed five hits and one runs, walking two and striking out two to pick up the win. The Texas native finished 2-for-3 with a double, home run and three RBI.

Mathewson went 3-for-4 and scored a run for the Bluejays, raising her average to .452 on the year.

Norton led NIU with three of the Huskies eight hits. NIU stranded seven runners in the loss.

The Bluejays will look to stay perfect on the season when they travel to Louisville (9-0) to play a three-game series with the nationally-ranked Cardinals next weekend. CU and 21st-ranked Louisville will play a single game on Friday and a doubleheader on Saturday.


Wisconsin 8, Drake 0

TAMPA, Fla. -With an adjusted tournament schedule due to heavy rain on Friday in the Tampa area, Drake returned to the diamond Sunday morning to face Wisconsin, The game was originally scheduled for Friday. The Badgers defeated the Bulldogs, 8-0.

Sophomore Jordan Gronewold started the game for the Bulldogs and took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits in four innings. Freshman Rebekah Schmidt spelled Gronewold and allowed four runs on three hits.

Drake struggled offensively with just three hits on the day. Macie Silliman, Sam West and Hayley Nybo each collected a hit.

Next weekend, Drake will travel to the Texas-Arlington Tournament and face Arkansas-Pine Bluff (11 a.m.) and Houston Baptist (1 p.m.) on Friday, Feb. 24.


Evansville 14, Alcorn State 0
Evansville 10, Alcorn State 1

LORMAN, Miss. -- The University of Evansville softball team opened the 2012 season with a pair of wins over Alcorn State today. The Aces' offense exploded for a 14-0 run-rule victory in game one before turning around to take the nightcap by a score of 10-1 (six innings). Junior transfer Sarah Patterson grabbed the complete-game shutout in the first game, notching her first career victory as a Purple Aces. Junior Kendall Kautz was equally as impressive in game two, going the distance for the Aces to secure the sweep.


Missouri State 7, South Dakota State 2

The Missouri State softball team (2-1) defeated the South Dakota State Jackrabbits (0-3) at Lovelace Stadium in Denton, Texas, by the score of 7-2 on Sunday in the Fairfield Inn and Suites Classic.

Missouri State starting pitcher Natalie Rose took a perfect game into the top of the sixth inning before the Jackrabbits got a leadoff single. Rose struck out 11 SDSU batters to earn her first victory of the season.

The Bears mustered a two-out threat in the bottom of the first inning. Caitlin Chapin singled and then stole second base. She advanced to third on a passed ball, but MSU was unable to get her home as Stevie Pierce popped up for the third out.

In the second inning, Missouri State loaded the bases when Chelsea Jones, Heather Duckworth and Lauren Eisenreich each drew bases on balls. Raeven Replogle singled up the middle to drive in the first two runs for the Bears. Kirstin Cutter drew another walk to reload the bases and Ashley Brentz drew the fifth walk of the inning to plate the third run for MSU.

The Bears extended the lead in the third inning. Stacia Boeckstiegel lined a sharp single to left field. Kerri Cunningham pinch ran and promptly stole second. Duckworth followed with an RBI triple into the right field corner. Two batters later, Replogle reached on an error by the Jackrabbits third baseman to drive home Duckworth and give the Bears a 5-0 lead.

Missouri State got on the board again in the fourth inning. Cutter led off the inning with a double to the gap in left center. A walk and a fielder's choice gave the Bears runners on the corner with two outs. Jones sent a grounder towards shortstop, where the SDSU fielder booted the ball allowing the Bears to score the sixth run of the game.

The Bears continued to grow the lead in the fifth. Pinch hitter Erin Duewel drew a leadoff walk. She moved to third on a sacrifice and an error. Cutter reached on a fielder's choice as the Jackrabbits cut down Duewel at the plate. Brentz walked again and Chapin legged out an infield hit to drive in Cutter from second base. The Bears took a 7-0 lead to the sixth inning.

Missouri State will travel to Memphis, Tenn. next weekend for the Blues City Classic. The Bears will play Northern Iowa in a non-conference matchup to open the weekend at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 24. Play will continue on Saturday when MSU faces Miami (Ohio) at 9:00 a.m. and SEMO at 8:00 p.m. The Bears round out the Blues City Classic on Sunday against Western Illinois (11:00 a.m.) and host Memphis (1:00 p.m.).


Wichita State 4, Sam Houston State 3
North Texas 12, Wichita State 9