April 28, 2013
STANFORD, Calif. - The No. 15/17 Stanford softball team dominated Utah, 9-1 in five innings, Saturday, at Smith Family Stadium. The win gives the Cardinal (32-16, 9-9 Pac-12) its first conference series sweep of the year. The Utes drop to 23-27-1 overall and 6-15 in the Pac-12.
The Cardinal only allowed one run on the weekend as senior pitcher Teagan Gerhart recorded her 15th complete game of the season, surrendering just two hits and striking out two. She is now 18-8 on the season. Utah's Kayce Nieto (7-7) took the loss, giving up five runs on eight hits in 3.0 innings.
Five Stanford players had multiple hits in the game, with all nine runs resulting from home runs. Senior shortstop Jenna Rich led the team offensively with two hits, including a three-run home run in the first inning. Rich now has 200 career RBI and is only two away from breaking the record currently held by Sarah Beeson ('02).
Sophomore third baseman Hanna Winter added two hits, including the first home run of her career, a two-run bomb to right center. She ends the series hitting .583 on the weekend.
Stanford scored nine runs on 13 hits and finished the series with a .500 team hitting percentage. Freshman catcher Jessica Plaza added two hits, including a double, and finished the weekend hitting .625.
The Cardinal scored its last four runs in the fourth inning as freshman first baseman Kayla Bonstrom and sophomore designated player Erin Ashby each hit a two-run home run to put the Utes away.
Utah designated player Marissa Mendenhall broke up Gerhart's no-hitter with one out in the top of the fifth inning. She scored the lone run of the weekend for the Utes on a wild pitch.
The Cardinal will play four road games next week starting at UC Davis on Wednesday, May 1, with the first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. The team will resume Pac-12 play in a three-game series against No. 10 California starting Friday, May 3, at 3 p.m.