Feb. 26, 2012
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. - The No. 14 Stanford softball team topped New Mexico State, 5-2, and San Diego State, 8-3, Sunday at the Cathedral City Classic in Cathedral City, Calif. The Cardinal improves to 13-3 overall, while the Aggies fell to 11-6 and the Aztecs dropped to 8-8.
Junior pitcher Teagan Gerhart earned both wins in the circle, improving to 13-1 overall. She threw 11.2 innings, allowing just one run and three hits in the two games. She finished with 12 strikeouts.
Hansen got things going for the Cardinal against the Aggies, hitting an RBI single in the top of the first to score freshman Hanna Winter.
Stanford loaded the bases in the top of the third with one out. Sophomore Caitlyn Pura, the nine-hitter, singled to left field and then Winter and freshman Leah White tallied back-to-back bunt singles. Unfortunately, the Cardinal was unable to capitalize as Hansen flew out to centerfield and then Pura was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The Cardinal added another run in the top of the fourth for a 2-0 advantage in the game. Junior Jenna Rich led off the inning with a double to left center. Senior Jenna Becerra brought her home with a double that hit off the centerfield fence.
After a pitching change by Stanford, New Mexico State loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Second baseman Tehani Kaaihue hit a two-run double to left field to put the Aggies on the board. Gerhart re-entered the game at pitcher and got the Cardinal out of the jam.
Stanford scored its final run in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Hansen doubled to centerfield. Rich drove her home with a single to centerfield.
Against San Diego State, Stanford tallied three runs in the top of the third to take the early lead. With two outs and runners on first and second, Leah White reached on a throwing error by Aztec shortstop Hayley Miles. The miscue allowed Pura to score the first run of the inning. Hansen drove in Winter and White on a double to left field.
The Aztecs answered in the bottom half of the inning as Miles hit a solo home run to centerfield.
Stanford increased its lead to 6-1 in the fifth inning. Leah White hit an infield single to score Pura from third. White then scored on an RBI single to left field by Hansen. The final run of the inning was scored by Hansen as Becerra reached on another error by Miles.
Freshman pinch hitter Alyssa Lombardo, who reached on an error, scored another run for the Cardinal in the sixth on an RBI single from Leah White.
San Diego State cut the lead to 7-3 in the sixth, but the Cardinal added a final run in the seventh to seal the victory.
Stanford remains on the road next weekend, travelling to Fullerton, Calif., for the DeMarini Invitational March 2-4. The Cardinal will face Indiana, Northwestern, Florida International, East Carolina and Michigan State at the three-day tournament, hosted by Cal State Fullerton.