STANFORD, Calif. – Kylie Sorenson pitched a complete game and homered as Stanford delivered a strong team performance Saturday to defeat Utah 4-2.
The Cardinal (15-18, 1-4 Pac-12) will look to win the series against the Utes (21-13, 1-7 Pac-12) in the finale Sunday at Noon (PT).
Sorenson (3-3) – typically Stanford’s starting shortstop – was outstanding in the circle, throwing a career-high 7.0 innings to notch the third complete game of her career and first of this season. She permitted two runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out one.
Sorenson helped her own cause on offense by launching a towering home run in the bottom of the second inning. It is her fourth home run on the season.
“She played her position defensively and put the ball where we needed it on the edge of the plate,” said Stanford head coach Rachel Hanson of Sorenson. “She worked her off-speed pitches really well and Jessica Plaza called a great game behind the plate. That bomb she hit over the fence was a great pick-me-up for the team.”
Erin Ashby led Stanford with three RBIs, registering each of them on a bases-clearing double to the left-centerfield gap in the third inning that gave Stanford a 4-0 advantage. She is second among Cardinal players with 22 RBIs on the season.
She stepped up to the plate, took a big hack and came through in the clutch,” said Hanson. “It’s a real mark of her senior leadership.”
Hanna Winter showcased why she’s one of the nation’s elite third basemen, making a series of highlight-worthy defensive plays throughout the game. Her most notable stops came in consecutive at-bats during the top of the seventh inning that alleviated any potential comeback bid by Utah.
“We have our groove back on defense,” added Hanson. “Last week we struggled a bit more than usual but the confidence came through again today. Hanna made the routine plays and then some highlight plays as well.”
Kayla Bonstrom and Tylyn Wells continued to swing hot bats and both registered singles. Bonstrom has at least one hit in 10 of the past 13 games – accumulating 21 hits during that span. Wells has at least one hit in seven of the past 10 games.
Stanford jumped out to an early lead when Sorenson hit a moon-shot solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. After Winter, Wells and Bonstrom reached base in the third inning, Ashby drove in the trio with a RBI-double to the left-centerfield gap to put the Cardinal up 4-0.
Stanford leaned on Sorenson in the circle and its defense to preserve the four-run lead for the remainder of the game. Sorenson, who is usually the Cardinal’s starting shortstop but pitching due to injuries, and her defense delivered.
The Utes got a run in the top of the fourth inning but Stanford was able to keep them off the board in the fifth and sixth frames. Utah’s Hanna Flippen hit a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh to cut Stanford’s lead in half, but a pair of nice defensive plays by Winter helped eliminate any potential comeback rally.
Stanford concludes the series against the Utes on Sunday at Noon.