April 6, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - The 14th-ranked Stanford softball team topped No. 18 Oregon, 7-6, Friday, at Smith Family Stadium. The Cardinal improves to 28-9 overall and 2-6 in the Pac-12, while the Ducks drop to 24-8 overall and to 3-4 in the conference.
Freshman pitcher Nyree White earned the start in the circle. She went 2.1 innings with two strikeouts. Junior Teagan Gerhart entered the game in the third inning and picked up the win. She is now 23-5 overall. Oregon's Karissa Hovinga took the loss, falling to 7-3 overall.
Oregon took the 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. With the bases loaded, designated player Lindsey Chambers reached on a fielder's choice, which scored first baseman Kailee Cuico.
The Ducks increased their lead to 2-0 in the third as Cuico hit an RBI double to centerfield to score shortstop Kelsey Chambers from second.
Stanford posted a big fifth inning to take the lead,k 6-2. Senior Ashley Hansen hit a bases clearing triple to score pinch hitter Erin Ashby, third baseman Hanna Winter and left fielder Leah White. Senior catcher Maya Burns then singled up the middle to plate Hansen. After freshman Tylyn Wells entered the game to pinch run for Burns, junior Jenna Rich cleared the bases with a home run to left field.
Oregon cut the lead to 6-3 as pinch hitter Jamie Rae Sullivan hit a single to left field to score centerfielder Samantha Pappas.
Stanford tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth as Leah White scored on a throwing error by second baseman Kaylan Howard, which allowed Cardinal right fielder Cassandra Roulund to reach base.
The Ducks wouldn't go down without a fight, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh. Cuico reached on an error by Hansen, advancing to second on the play. The inning should have been over, but due to the error, Cuico scored on a single by catcher Alexa Peterson. Pappas then hit a two-run shot to centerfield to cut the lead to one. However, right fielder Christie Nieto flew out to center field to end the game.
The Cardinal and Ducks will play for the series on Saturday, Apr. 7. First pitch is scheduled for Noon at Smith Family Stadium.