STANFORD, Calif. – Eight Stanford players combined for nine hits to propel the Cardinal to a 13-5 victory in six innings Friday night against No. 10/10 Washington.
Washington (23-11, 3-7 Pac-12) pitcher Bryana Walker was perfect through the first 4.1 innings to start the game, but Stanford (25-15, 2-9 Pac-12) broke through in the fifth inning with eight runs. Jessica Plaza got the rally going with a great at-bat to draw a walk and break up the perfect game. Plaza was followed by Bessie Noll who singled up the middle for Stanford’s first hit.
The Cardinal completed its offensive showcase with five runs in the sixth inning, capped by an RBI-single by Hanna Winter, to run-rule the Huskies.
Plaza had an outstanding game offensively, drawing a walk to start the Cardinal’s fifth-inning rally and doubling in her next two at-bats. She finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBI, and a walk.
Kylie Sorenson (3-3) picked up the win in the circle after coming into the game as relief in the top of the second inning. Sorenson was relieved briefly in the fifth but re-entered in the same inning to secure the victory. She allowed two runs on two hits, struck out three and allowed one walk in 4.1 innings.
Washington got on the board first with two runs in the first inning. Walker kept the Cardinal off the base paths until Plaza stepped to the plate in the fifth inning and drew a walk.
With Plaza on first, Noll worked the count and singled up the middle to break up Walker’s no-hitter. Hanna Winter walked in the next at-bat to load the bases. Cassandra Roulund followed with the hit Stanford needed to get on the board with a two-RBI-single to right-center.
After Kaitlin Schaberg and Leah White both singled to bring in two more runs and put Stanford up 4-2, Walker was relieved by Kaitlin Inglesby.
Kayla Bonstrom wasted no time keeping the rally going, hitting Inglesby’s first pitch over the centerfield fence for a huge three-run home run to give the Cardinal a 7-2 lead.
Kylie Sorenson walked in the next at-bat and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice. Plaza stepped to the plate for the second time in the inning and slammed a double into the right-center field gap to score Sorenson and complete the Cardinal’s eight-run fifth inning.
Washington responded with three runs in the top of the sixth, cutting Stanford’s lead to 8-5.
Inglesby was relieved by Kasey Stanchek to start the bottom of the sixth inning. Stanchek walked four of the first six batters she faced and allowed an RBI-single to Erin Ashby who extended Stanford’s lead to 10-5.
Plaza then delivered her second double of the game, this time down the left-field line, scoring two runs and putting the Cardinal ahead 12-2. Winter capped the game’s scoring with an RBI-single through the left side of the infield.
The Cardinal will look to win the series Saturday at 7 p.m. Saturday’s game will be Bacon Night at Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium and feature an assortment of concessions items with bacon.