May 18, 2012
LAFAYETTE, La. - The 16th-ranked Stanford softball team opened the 2012 NCAA Tournament with a 1-0 win over No. 23 Baylor in the Lafayette Regional at Lamson Park in Lafayette, La. The Cardinal improves to 39-17 overall, while the Bears drop to 33-21 overall.
Junior pitcher Teagan Gerhart earned the win in the circle, moving to 31-11 overall. She finished with seven strikeouts and recorded her ninth shutout of the season. Baylor's Courtney Repka took the loss, dropping to 16-12. She tallied four strikeouts, while issuing two walks and giving up one run.
The teams were scoreless through the first four and a half innings of play. Five of the first six outs recorded by the Cardinal were strikeouts by Gerhart.
Stanford broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman Hanna Winter led off the inning with an infield single and then rookie Leah White laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her into scoring position. After the Bears intentionally walked junior second baseman Jenna Rich, freshman Cassandra Rouldund brought home Winter with a single to the shortstop.
Stanford will face the winner of the Louisiana-Lafayette/Mississippi Valley State game at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 19. The Ragin' Cajuns and Devilettes will play in the second game of the day, Friday.