DAVIS, Calif. – A late UC Davis rally capped by a three-run home run was too much for Stanford to overcome Monday as the Cardinal dropped a 7-4 decision.
Stanford (12-11) held a 4-1 advantage through the first two-and-a-half innings but saw its lead slowly evaporate throughout the remainder of the game until the Aggies (7-10) erupted for four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take command.
Kayla Bonstrom continued her hot start to the season, going 3-for-4 with all four of Stanford’s RBIs. She was a triple shy of the cycle, doubling in the first inning, homering in the third and singling in the seventh. Bonstrom has at least one hit in 20-of-23 games this season.
Hanna Winter went 2-for-3 to extend her hitting streak to eight games, while Cassandra Roulund doubled to stretch her streak to six games.
Stanford got off to a quick start when Bonstrom smoked a RBI-double to the right-center field gap to bring Erin Ashby around from first.
UC Davis leveled the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning when Ashley Lotoszynski hit a two-out solo home run to left field.
The Cardinal retook the lead in the third when Bonstrom delivered a booming three-run home run to right field. It is Bonstrom’s sixth home run on the season – doubling her total from 2014 – and her third in the past two games.
The Aggies pushed across another run in the third inning to cut Stanford’s lead in half. UC Davis loaded the bases with two outs in the inning but Haley Snyder was able to pitch out of the jam to limit the damage.
Stanford saw its lead reduced to 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth when the Aggies capitalized on a bloop-single to left field bringing in a run.
The Cardinal loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the sixth but was unable to move the runners around and extend its lead.
UC Davis scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 7-4 lead. Krista Bava singled up the middle to knot the game at 4-4. Alexis Carney hit a three-run home run to left field to give the Aggies a three-run lead.
Bonstrom and Jessica Plaza reached base in the seventh with one out but the Cardinal was unable to bring them home and cut into UC Davis’ lead.
Stanford will look to get back in the win column this weekend when it plays host to the Louisville Slugger Classic. The Cardinal begins tournament play Friday at 6 p.m. (PT) against No. 17/17 Minnesota.