April 7, 2013
STANFORD, Calif. - The No. 14 Stanford softball team topped No. 2 Arizona State, 4-3, Sunday, at Smith Family Stadium in Stanford, Calif., avoiding the series sweep. The Cardinal improves to 27-12 overall and 5-7 in the Pac-12, while the Sun Devils drop to 36-4 overall and 7-2 in the conference.
Senior pitcher Teagan Gerhart threw her 12th complete game of the year, improving to 15-6 overall. She finished with three strikeouts and allowed just three runs on three hits. ASU junior Dallas Escobedo took the loss, falling to 19-4.
Offensively, sophomore left fielder Leah White was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to lead Stanford. Senior shotstop Jenna Rich pitched in with a sacrifice fly and a double, while sophomore designated player Erin Ashby notched an RBI single.
For the third consecutive game, ASU hit a home run in the top of the first inning to capture an early lead. Shortstop Cheyenne Coyle hit a two-run shot to left field, also plating lead-off hitter Bailey Wigness.
Stanford answered in the bottom of the second, knotting the game at 2-2. Senior Sarah Hassman was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. White and Kayla Bonstrom then recorded back-to-back singles to load the bases. Rich drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to left field. Ashby then hit a single to left field, scoring White.
The Cardinal took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, sophomore Cassandra Roulund hit her conference-leading sixth triple of the season. She then scored on a wild pitch by Escobedo to put Stanford up 3-2.
Stanford added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. With the bases loaded, White scorched a ball at Coyle at shortstop, scoring pinch runner Alyssa Lombardo.
ASU cut the Cardinal lead to 4-3 as centerfielder Elizabeth Caporuscio hit a double to right field, scoring pinch runner Abby Spiel, in the top of the fifth inning.
Up next, the Cardinal will play host to San Jose State on Wednesday, April 10 at 6 p.m. Stanford will then have its bye-weekend, April 12-14.