STANFORD, Calif. – No. 21/19 Stanford dropped a pair of games Saturday, falling to California 2-1 in the first game of a doubleheader and 11-5 in the second matchup.
The series between the Cardinal (23-8, 1-2 Pac-12) and Golden Bears (12-11, 2-1 Pac-12) featured a little bit of everything with plenty of offense, defensive highlights and large momentum swings. The teams combined for 64 hits, 46 runs and 82 total bases over three games.
Hanna Winter led Stanford offensively, going 7-for-10 (.700) with two RBI, two walks and a triple. Leah White also had a strong weekend at the plate, batting 6-for-10 (.600) with eight RBI, three runs, two walks, a double and a triple.
Madi Schreyer (16-5) continued to carry a majority of the load in the circle, posting a 4.61 ERA with six strikeouts and seven walks in 13.2 innings pitched. With limited options at pitcher, Stanford’s starting shortstop Kylie Sorenson and designated player Tylyn Wells each saw innings in the circle this weekend as well.
After a wild Friday night game that finished 14-13 in Stanford’s favor, the first matchup Saturday was a low-scoring affair highlighted by pitching. Schreyer and California’s Stephanie Trzcinski each pitched complete games and were strong in the circle.
Schreyer allowed one earned run on four hits, three walks and struck out three, while Trzcinski permitted one earned run on seven hits, one walk and two strikeouts.
After three scoreless innings to start the game, the Golden Bears struck first in the top of the fourth when Vanessa Alvarez hit a grounder to second base and Victoria Jones beat out a throw home by Cardinal second baseman Erin Ashby.
Stanford responded immediately in the bottom of the fourth when Bessie Noll doubled and was brought home on a triple to right-center field by Hanna Winter to knot the score at 1-1.
California added the deciding second run in the top of the fifth when a double by Cheyenne Cordes brought around LaRisa Jones who reached base earlier in the inning on an error.
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The third game of the series closer resembled Friday’s matchup with both teams producing offensively. An eight-run second inning by California proved to be the difference as Stanford fell, 11-5.
After posting a run in the first inning, the Golden Bears scored eight runs in the second to take a commanding 9-0 lead.
Stanford battled throughout the game but was unable to take advantage of scoring opportunities, most notably during bases loaded situations in the second and third inning. The Cardinal loaded the bases with no outs in the second frame but only managed to produce a run.
The Cardinal occupied all of the bases in the third inning as well, and had a bit more success after Bessie Noll was hit by a pitch and Wells and White delivered back-to-back singles, cutting California’s lead to 9-5. However, the Cardinal was unable to keep the rally going and left two runners on base.
Stanford was unable to push across additional runs in the following innings and left a runner on base in the fourth and fifth innings.
California added a run in the fifth and seventh inning to stretch its lead to 11-5 and secure the victory.
The Pac-12 road doesn’t get any easier for the Cardinal, which travels to No. 7/5 Arizona State next weekend for a three-game set Saturday-Monday.