April 14, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - Behind the offense of seniors Jenna Becerra and Ashley Hansen, the No. 15 Stanford softball team won its first Pac-12 series of the year with a 7-0 win over No. 25 Oregon State, Saturday, at Smith Family Stadium. The Cardinal moves to 31-12 overall and 5-9 in the Pac-12, while the Beavers fall to 27-13 overall and 4-6 in the conference.
Junior pitcher Teagan Gerhart improves to 26-7 overall and posted her fifth shutout of the season. She finished with four strikeouts and allowed just four hits and two walks.The Cardinal handed Oregon State pitcher Aryn Feickert (3-1) her first loss of the season.
Offensively, Becerra led the team with a grand slam, a double and a career-best five RBI. Freshman centerfielder Cassandra Roulund went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Hansen registered a two-run triple.
An RBI double by Becerra put the Cardinal on top 1-0 in the bottom of the second. She now leads the squad with 12 doubles on the year.
Stanford increased its lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Jenna Rich and Maya Burns drew back-to-back walks before Roulund singled to left field. That brought up Becerra who blasted a home run to left field. It's the fourth home run of the year for the senior and the second grand slam of the series for the Cardinal.
The Cardinal tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Ashley Hansen hit a two-run triple, scoring pinch runner Tylyn Wells and freshman Hanna Winter. It marks the seventh triple of the season for Hansen, which breaks the school's single season record. It was also the 17th triple of her career, tying Catalina Morris for the most by a Stanford player in program history.
The Cardinal and Beavers wrap-up the three-game series on Sunday, Apr. 15. First pitch is scheduled for Noon from Smith Family Stadium.