The Stanford softball team is back to its winning ways.

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Stanford Daily File Photo

Junior Missy Penna won her 22nd game of the year with a six-inning shutout yesterday against Sacramento State.

After dropping three consecutive games to start Pacific-10 Conference play this past weekend, Stanford rode the bat of junior shortstop Maddy Coon and the arm of junior pitcher Missy Penna Wednesday to a 3-0 victory over Sacramento State.

Stanford, playing its first road game after 15 straight home games, came out a bit sluggish against the Hornets, managing only four hits off of three different Sacramento State pitchers, but Coon was able to pick the team up.

With one out and no score in the top of the third, sophomore center fielder Alissa Haber doubled to the right center field gap; two batters later, Coon drove a 3-1 pitch over the center field fence to give the Cardinal the lead for good.

Penna, as well as freshman Ashley Chinn, combined for another complete game shutout victory for Cardinal pitching. Penna went six innings, allowing just two hits while striking out eight. Chinn came on to get the last three outs, walking one and striking out two for the save.

The Hornets never posed a real threat to the shutout, with only two players reaching second base all game.

The Cardinal offense wasn’t much more prolific, however.

Stanford picked up its last run in the top of the sixth. After senior left fielder Tricia Aggabao walked to lead off the inning, Coon continued her strong day by shooting a triple into the right centerfield gap, scoring Aggabao.

After sophomore catcher Rosey Neill struck out and senior third baseman Michelle Smith walked, senior Jess Zutz pinch ran for Smith, making her Stanford softball debut. Zutz, who has been a field hockey star for four years at Stanford (a four-time all NorPac player) was picked up by head coach John Rittman a day ago to add speed to the Cardinal’s thin bench.

Zutz was unable to show off her speed in her first game in a Cardinal uniform, however, as she advanced to second on a Shannon Koplitz walk, before being stranded there to end the inning.

The win was a huge one for the Cardinal, who after starting the season 32-2, lost three straight games by a combined score of 13 to 1.

The Cardinal offense looked less than explosive today, and it will need to come alive for Stanford to bounce back from its 0-3 start in conference play.

It won’t be easy for the Cardinal, however, as it travels to Los Angeles this Friday to take on UCLA, the No. 1 team in the nation. The Bruins are led by star pitchers Donna Kerr and Anjelica Selden.

After playing one game in L.A., the Cardinal will fly north to Washington for two games this weekend against No. 24 Washington, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.