March 2, 2013
FULLERTON, Calif. - The 15th-ranked Stanford softball team run-ruled Cal State Fullerton (14-1 in five innings) and topped Northwestern 5-2, Saturday, at the Easton Invitational in Fullerton, Calif. The Cardinal now stands at 14-5 overall, while the Titans fall to 8-10 and the Wildcats to 8-9.
Senior pitcher Teagan Gerhart earned the win against Cal State Fullerton, allowing just one run on two hits with a strikeout. She is now 7-3 overall this season. Jasmine Antunez took the loss for the Titans, dropping to 5-6.
Freshman pitcher Kelsey Stevens improved to 9-2, racking up nine strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work. Gerhart entered the game in the seventh to notch her second save of the year. Northwestern's Amy Letourneau falls to 5-5.
The Cardinal captured a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning against Cal State Fullerton. Freshman first baseman Kayla Bonstrom led off the inning with a walk. Sophomore catcher Erin Ashby then roped her third home run of the season to left field.
The Titans answered in the bottom of the second, cutting the lead to 2-1. Third baseman Eliza Crawford led off the inning with a solo shot to left field.
Stanford carried it offensive momentum into the third inning, pushing its lead to 6-1. Senior short stop Jenna Rich drew a walk to lead off the third, and then scored on an RBI double by sophomore left fielder Leah White. The Cardinal then registered two more RBI doubles, by Bonstrom and Ashby, to score two more. Pinch runner Corey Hanewich, in the game for Ashby, scored the final run of the inning as senior Sarah Hassman reached on an error by Titan second baseman Lauren Mario.
Stanford tacked on three more runs in the fourth to go up 9-1. Sophomore Leah White then hit her second RBI double of the game, scoring Wells.
Still in the top of the fourth with two outs, freshman second baseman Leah White, with Schaberg advancing to second on the throw home. She then scored as senior Tegan Schmidt singled to centerfield.
Sophomore pitcher Nyree White replaced Gerhart in the circle in the bottom of the fourth inning for Stanford. She finished the game with two strikeouts without giving up a hit in 2.0 innings of work.
The Cardinal scored its final four runs against the Titans in the top of the fifth inning. Sophomore Hanna Winter hit a bunt single to open the fifth. Rich reached on an error by Titan short stop Samantha Galarza and then Wells singled up the middle, which would have loaded the bases, but an error on CSF second baseman Carissa Turang allowed Winter to score. Bonstrom then brought Rich home with a single to right field. With two runners on, Schaberg blasted the first home run of her career, a three-run shot to left field.
Against Northwestern, the Cardinal scored five runs on two hits in the bottom of the second inning. Stanford loaded up the bases and then Hassman was hit by a pitch, scoring Roulund. Winter then reached on an error by short stop Anna Edwards, which allowed Schaberg and Schmidt to score. Rich then brought Hassman and Winter home on a single up the middle.
Northwestern finally got on the board in the top fifth inning. Right fielder Olivia Duehr hit a two-run home run that was just fair in left field to cut the lead to 5-2 in favor of the Cardinal.
The Wildcats threatened in the top of the seventh, loading the bases. Gerhart entered the game, facing three batters and earned the save.
Stanford closes out the tournament on Sunday, March 3 against Indiana at 8:30 a.m. PT. The Cardinal defeated the Hoosiers, 8-2, at the Kajikawa Classic on Feb. 9.