April 7, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - The No. 14 Stanford softball team dropped a 12-8 decision to No. 18 Oregon, Saturday, in the series finale at Smith Family Stadium. The Cardinal falls to 28-10 overall and 2-7 in the Pac-12, while the Ducks move to 25-8 overall and to 4-4 in the conference.
Junior pitcher Teagan Gerhart took the loss in the circle, dropping to 23-6 on the year. She gave up six runs on eight hits in 2.0 innings pitched. Oregon junior Jessica Moore tallied six strikeouts and earned the win, improving to 18-5.
Stanford took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Rookies Hanna Winter and Leah White registered back-to-back infield singles to put two runners on for the Cardinal. Junior second baseman Jenna Rich singled to centerfield, scoring Winter from second.
Oregon broke the game open, scoring 10 runs in the top of the third. With runners on the corners, centerfielder Samantha Pappas laced a single through the right side to score shortstop Kelsey Chambers. Catcher Alexa Peterson then hit a double to left field to score first baseman Kailee Cuico. Designated player Christie Nieto cleared the bases with a three-run shot to centerfield.
Still in the third, head coach John Rittman replaced Gerhart with freshman Nyree White. After recording the first out of the inning, White gave up a three-run home run to second baseman Kaylan Howard. After Cuico drew a walk, Pappas hit a two-run homer to right centerfield.
Stanford wouldn't go down without a fight, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Ashley Hansen led off with a double down the right line. After Rich reached on an error by Chambers, catcher Maya Burns loaded the bases with a single up the middle. Freshman Cassandra Roulund brought Hansen home with an infield single. Senior Jenna Becerra then hit a two-run double to right field.
In the bottom of the fifth, Leah White led off with an inside the park home run, cutting the lead to 10-5. It marks the third home run of the season for the rookie. Stanford then loaded the bases as Hansen drew a walk and Burns and Becerra each recorded singles. Hansen cut the lead to 10-6, scoring on a wild pitch.
Stanford continued to cut into Oregon's lead, plating two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. With the bases loaded, Burns hit a double to left center to score Leah White and Hansen.
The Ducks got the two runs back in the top of the seventh as Chambers hit a two-run shot to centerfield.
Up next, Stanford travels to Los Angeles for a mid-week Pac-12 series at UCLA. The Cardinal and Bruins will play a double-header on Tuesday, Apr. 10 and close out the series on Wednesday, Apr. 11. Stanford will then return to The Farm to host Oregon State, Apr. 13-15.