The undefeated Stanford softball team needed extra innings to get past Florida Atlantic on Thursday night. But with the score tied 3-3 after eight innings, the Cardinal finally broke out, scoring 6 runs in the top of the ninth en route to a 9-3 victory at the team’s first game of the Palm Springs Classic. Twenty-four teams are competing in the four-day tournament, including three of the teams from last year’s Elite 8 and the USA Softball team.

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The Cardinal needed extra innings to beat FAU, but the Stanford lineup exploded in the ninth inning as they blew the game open on a grand slam by junior Maddy Coon. #gallery http://daily.stanford.edu/image/full/8616
Stanford Daily File Photo

The Cardinal needed extra innings to beat FAU, but the Stanford lineup exploded in the ninth inning as they blew the game open on a grand slam by junior Maddy Coon.

The Cardinal came into the weekend ranked No. 12 in the NCAA. The team’s first test of the weekend came against Florida Atlantic, and, although the Owls came into the game with a mediocre record of 4-5, they gave the Card all it could handle.

The scoring got underway in the fifth inning when sophomore catcher Rosey Niell hit a solo homerun off FAU’s Amber Barton. The Owls tied it up in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single from senior Lauren Crandall.

A throwing error in the top of the seventh led to two more runs for the Cardinal; a sacrifice fly from senior Anna Beardman plated the first run, and a single from sophomore Alissa Haber made the score 3-1.

Missy Penna, the ace of the Stanford pitching staff, hit a speed-bump in the bottom of the seventh that almost put an end to the team’s perfect record. A lead-off walk and a one-out double put runners at second and third base, and the Owls capitalized on their best scoring opportunity of the game. A groundout to junior shortstop Maddy Coon drove in one run, and senior first baseman Melissa Moore hit a single off Penna to tie the game at 3-3. Penna quickly recovered, however, inducing a popout to end the inning.

Both sides went scoreless in the eighth. With a runner at third and only one out, Penna struck out two in a row to retire the side.

The ninth inning belonged to Stanford. Senior Erin Howe plated the first run with a single that scored sophomore second basemen Shannon Koplitz. Beardman singled to load the bases, and Haber singled to center to score Neill. Howe was thrown out when she tried to score from second, but Haber and Beardman advanced on the throw to give the Cardinal runners on second and third with only one out. Senior Tricia Aggabao walked to load the bases, and Maddy Coon stepped to the plate. Coon, 0-for-4 on the night, launched Barton’s offering into the right field stands for a grand slam.

FAU could muster little offense in the bottom of the inning — Penna retired the side in order.

Stanford is off to a phenomenal start to the 2008 season. En route to winning its first 10 games, the team has outscored its opponents 68 to 5. Before last night, ace pitcher Penna had thrown seven shutouts and only allowed two runs on the season.

The Cardinal continues competition this morning when it faces Fordham at 10:00 a.m., followed by Oklahoma at 12:30 p.m. Stanford faces UNLV and Ohio State tomorrow and finishes the weekend with Texas on Sunday.

Fordham is led by freshman standout Jocelyn Dearborn, who was named the Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Week on Feb. 18. Dearborn is hitting an incredible .476 with a slugging percentage of .714, although she has yet to take a walk this season.

Oklahoma will pose a much greater challenge for the Card. The Sooners are No. 6 in the NCAA and enter the Palm Springs Classic with a 9-2 record. After beginning the season with losses to No. 10 UCLA and No. 21 Cal State-Fullerton, the Sooners have won seven straight.