May 12, 2005
STANFORD, Calif. - No. 4/5 Stanford picked up its 40th win of the season tonight with a 3-0 shutout over Arizona State at the Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium. Becky McCullough tossed seven innings and scattered four hits to pick up her 18th victory of the season. The Cardinal improves to 40-12 on the season, with a 13-6 mark in Pac-10 play, while the Sun Devils fall to 28-23 overall and 3-16 in conference action.
The Cardinal scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the second inning, as Erin Howe led off the inning with a walk and Leah Nelson sacrificed her to second and reached first on an error. After both players advanced on a wild pitch, Megan Sickler singled up the middle to score Howe. Sun Devil pitcher Katie Burkhart retired the next two Cardinal batters, but Catalina Morris belted a two-out two-RBI double to left center, scoring Leah Nelson and Megan Sickler.
ASU best scoring opportunity came in the top of the fourth when they loaded the bases, but McCullogh got Jen McCard to hit into a 1-2-3 double play to end the Sun Devil threat.