TEMPE, Ariz. – A walk-off double gave No. 8 Arizona a 4-3 decision over Stanford, Friday, in the series opener at Farrington Stadium.
Stanford (23-27, 2-17 Pac-12) led 2-1 through five innings before a two-run home run by Arizona State (40-9, 13-6 Pac-12) designated player DeNae Chatman gave the Sun Devils the lead after the sixth.
The Cardinal loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh. Pinch runner Carmina Nicolas knotted up the score at 3-3 as redshirt junior Whitney Burks reached on an error by ASU second baseman Bella Loomis.
In the home half of the seventh, Arizona State received a lead-off double from Marisa Stankiewicz. Brynley Steele subbed in as a pinch runner before short stop Jade Gortarez hit the walk-off double to give ASU the victory.
Stanford came out swinging and capitalized on two early errors by the Sun Devils in the top of the first inning. Burks singled in her first at-bat, and advanced to second as sophomore Teaghan Cowles reached third on an error by ASU centerfielder Morgan Howe. Sophomore Kristina Inouye then drove in Cowles and Burks scored on an error by Sun Devil catcher Maddi Hackbarth.
2-0 ?? | E2
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) May 5, 2018
Three ??, three ?? for @Nik_bauer07 in the second with some help from @kristina_inouye on this snag ??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/N6MhxyCsEm
Arizona State was held scoreless until the fourth inning when Howe blasted a solo shot to right field. The Sun Devils finished the game with four runs on 11 hits and six errors.
Freshman Maddy Dwyer, who entered the game in the seventh, took the loss in the circle, falling to 12-9. Arizona State's Breanna Macha picked up the win, moving to 13-5.
Stanford sophomore Nikki Bauer earned the start for the Cardinal. She allowed just one run on seven hits in 4.0 innings. Junior Carolyn Lee threw 2.0 innings and had Stanford's lone strikeout of the game. Arizona State freshman G Juarez had eight strikeouts in 6.0 innings for the Sun Devils.
2-1 ?? | E5
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) May 5, 2018
?? @_whitneyalexis saves some runs with this grab. @calee97 gets a K to end the inning.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/5Kk2F1pt5D
Stanford will have an opportunity to even the series on Saturday with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. from Farrington Stadium.