May 5, 2013
BERKELEY, Calif. - The No. 16/17 Stanford softball team defeated No. 12/13 California, 7-5, Sunday, at Levine-Fricke Field. The win gave the Cardinal (35-17, 12-9 Pac-12) its first series sweep over the Bears in school history. Cal drops to 35-15 and 9-12 in the conference.
Freshman pitcher Kelsey Stevens improved to 14-7 in her ninth complete game of the season. She finished with seven strikeouts while giving up five runs on six hits. Cal's Vanessa Alvarez took the loss in her first start in the circle.
Senior shortstop Jenna Rich led the team offensively, collecting four of the Cardinal's six RBI. She finished 3-for-4 including a double and a home run. Sophomore designated player Erin Ashby added a solo home run for the Cardinal, while senior center fielder Sarah Hassman hit her first sacrifice fly of the year.
A two-run homer by Rich in the top of the first gave Stanford the early advantage. She leads the team with 11 home runs this season and has 44 in her career, which ranks second all-time.
The Bears answered in the bottom half of the inning as third baseman Danielle Henderson hit an RBI single to right centerfield. Cal loaded the bases, but Stevens caught first baseman Jordan Wallace looking to end the inning.
Ashby's solo home run led off the top of the fourth inning for the Cardinal, pushing its lead to 3-1. It was the sixth long ball of the season for the sophomore.
Cal cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Lead-off hitter Khala Taylor hit a single to left field, scoring designated player Breana Kostreba who reached on an error by Cardinal first baseman Kayla Bonstrom.
The Cardinal broke the game open in the top of the sixth inning, scoring four runs on five hits and taking advantage of a Cal error. Senior Tegan Schmidt hit an infield single and a throwing error by Cal shortstop Britt Vonk allowed pinch runner Tylyn Wells to score. Hassman then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to bring home Schmidt. Rich knocked in the other two runs on a single up the middle.
The Bears pulled to within two in the bottom of the seventh as LaRisa Jones scored on a throwing error by Stanford second baseman Tegan Schmidt and Henderson hit a two-run homer to left field.
Up next, Stanford will play host to Santa Clara on Tuesday, May 7 at 6 p.m. before closing out Pac-12 play on The Farm against Arizona, May 9-11.