SAN DIEGO – UCSB suffered its first loss of the 2009 season on Thursday, falling to No. 8 Stanford, 4-0, on the first day of the Campbell/Cartier Classic being hosted by San Diego State this week.
With the loss, UCSB falls to 4-1 on the young season while Stanford improves to 5-1.
Stanford pitcher Missy Penna (4-1) tossed the complete game shutout for the Cardinal. She allowed just three hits and struck out 13 in the win.
The Gauchos three hits were provided by sophomore Jessica Beristianos and freshmen Amanda Ziegler and Keilani Jennings.
The game was scoreless through the first four innings before Ashley Hansen scored an unearned run on a Gaucho fielding error at the top of the fifth to give Stanford a 1-0 advantage.
Then, at the top of the sixth, Stanfords Shannon Koplitz led-off with a double and was sent home on a sacrifice fly from Jenna Becerra. With two outs and one runner on, Alissa Haber hit a home run over the right center field fence giving Stanford a 4-0 lead.
Koplitz led the Cardinal going 3-for-4 with a run and Haber was 2-for-4 with her two-RBI homer. Ashley Hansen went 2-for-3 with a run for Stanford.
Junior MeLinda Matsumoto (1-1) took the loss in the circle for UCSB after tossing 5 2/3 innings and giving up four runs three earned on nine hits. She walked one and struck out two.
Freshman Krista Cobb tossed the final 1.1 innings and allowed just one hit, walked one and struck out one.
The Gauchos will continue action at the Campbell/Cartier Classic on Friday when they face No. 10 Washington at 9 a.m. and Utah State at 11:30 a.m. at San Diego State’s Softball Stadium.
