Stanford (16-32, 1-17 Pac-12)
No. 24/23 Arizona State (30-18, 8-9 Pac-12)
Fri. – 7 p.m. (PT) • Sat. – 5:30 p.m. • Sun. – 2 p.m.
Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium • Stanford, Calif.
Television • Pac-12 Networks
Live Stats • Provided via GoStanford.com
Promotions • Fri. – Bacon Night | Sat. – Senior Night | Sun. – Autograph Day
Social • Facebook.com/StanfordSBall • Twitter.com/StanfordSBall • Instagram.com/StanfordSoftball
STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford concludes its home schedule this weekend when it plays host to No. 24/23 Arizona State for a three-game series.
The Cardinal (16-32, 1-17 Pac-12) begins the series Friday at 7 p.m. (PT) and the game will be the second annual “Bacon Night” with bacon-themed concessions. The series continues Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and concludes Sunday at 2 p.m. All three games will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
Stanford continued Pac-12 play last weekend, going 0-3 against No. 19/16 Arizona. The Cardinal produced multiple individual highlights throughout the weekend but it was not enough to slow down a potent Wildcats offense.
Bessie Noll led Stanford at the plate, hitting .500 (3-for-6) with one run, one RBI and a walk. Erin Ashby, Kayla Bonstrom, Jessica Plaza and Lauren Wegner each registered a home run. Wegner’s home run was the first of her collegiate career.
Stanford’s pitching staff – comprised solely of position players due to injuries to starting pitchers – did its best to limit Arizona’s offense but was unable to eliminate the Wildcats’ consistent offensive pressure.
Game times, live statistics and results are available via GoStanford.com.
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THE ARIZONA STATE SERIES
• Stanford is 25-40 all-time against Arizona State and went 0-3 against the Sun Devils in last year’s series. The Cardinal fell to Arizona State 16-15 in nine innings in the first game and 9-0 in five innings in the second contest. The series concluded with a 7-5 loss after the Sun Devils rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
UP NEXT
• Stanford concludes its season with a three-game series at No. 18/18 California on May 7-9.
PLENTY OF FIREPOWER
• Stanford has been strong offensively, hitting .280 as a team with 353 hits, 259 runs, 60 doubles, 34 home runs, 11 triples, a .426 slugging percentage and .386 on-base percentage.
• The Cardinal had one of its most prolific offensive seasons in program history in 2014 and carries a majority of the core for the 2015 season. The team ranked in the top 10 all-time in single-season records in RBI (1st, 302), batting average (2nd, .316), slugging percentage (2nd, .456), runs (2nd, 331), doubles (3rd, 88), triples (3rd, 17), walks (3rd, 205), hits (6th, 470) and stolen bases (10th, 55).
BON FIRE
• Kayla Bonstrom (international relations) has been a force at the plate, hitting a team-high .432 with a .784 slugging percentage. She leads the team in hits (60), home runs (11), doubles (14), RBIs (47), runs (41) and on-base percentage (.543).
• Bonstrom has at least one hit in 35-of-48 games (73 percent) and has registered a hit in 18 of the past 28 contests, accumulating 34 hits during that span.
• Kayla Bonstrom ranks in the top-10 in multiple offensive categories among Pac-12 players including: batting average (T-5th, .432), doubles (T-6th, 14), slugging percentage (7th, .784), hits (9th, 60), on-base percentage (3rd, .543), RBI (9th, 47) and hit by pitch (1st, 14).
• She was recently selected to the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) Interschool Honors Program in International Security Studies to develop a senior thesis with the federal government related to national security. She’s interested in working in national security upon graduation.
COMING ON STRONG
• Erin Ashby was limited early in the season due to injury but has come on strong in recent weeks and in Pac-12 play. She is second on the team with a .314 batting average and has produced the second-most RBIs with 36. Ashby has provided plenty of power and is second on the team with a .514 slugging percentage.
ALL HANDS ON DECK
• Stanford’s pitching options have been limited due to injuries. This has led to a “pitching by committee” situation in which Cardinal players who typically do not pitch, have spent time in the circle. Infielder Kylie Sorenson and outfielder Tylyn Wells have each seen significant innings at pitcher. Kayla Bonstrom, Erin Ashby and Kaitlyn Lagattuta each made their season debuts at pitcher against UCLA.
FILLING A VOID
• With position players pitching, Stanford field players have had to fill voids in positions they typically do not play. Erin Ashby, normally a second baseman, has spent time at first base and pitcher. Arden Pettit, typically a backup catcher, has been starting at third base. Bessie Noll has made the transition from right field to center field.
ALL IS WELLS
• Tylyn Wells is having a terrific season after a strong showing in 2014. She is third on the team with a .293 batting average, generating 41 hits, 32 runs, 16 RBIs, two triples and a .365 on-base percentage.
• Wells is working on preparing applications for law school where she is interested in studying intellectual property related to sport.
PETTIT GOES RED, WHITE AND BLUE
• Freshman Arden Pettit was one of 22 athletes to receive an invitation to try out for the 2015 USA Softball Junior Women’s (19-Under) National Team. She was named an alternate to the team at the conclusion of the camp.
WALKED OFF BY WEATHER
• Stanford is 0-1 in games shortened due to weather this year, falling 5-3 in the series finale at Oregon State on March 23. The Cardinal took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning but the Beavers rallied for four runs to take a 5-3 lead. The umpires called the game immediately following Oregon State’s go-ahead hit.
TAKING ON THE BEST
• Stanford played host to No. 1/2 Oregon for a three-game series April 18-20 and hung tight with the Ducks through each game. Oregon outscored Stanford 23-15 over the three games, a run differential of eight – the second-lowest of the six Pac-12 series the top-ranked Ducks have completed this season. Oregon entered the series outscoring opponents in three-game series by an average of 16.2 runs.
• Stanford’s 15 runs produced against Oregon is the second-most of any Pac-12 team against the Ducks this season. Only Washington scored more against Oregon, registering 16 during its three-game set.
SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE
• Arizona State enters the weekend with a 30-18 record and 8-9 mark in conference play. The Sun Devils dropped two of three games last weekend against Utah.
• Arizona State boasts a balanced lineup with seven players hitting over .297. Amber Freeman paces the Sun Devils with a .432 batting average, producing 64 hits, 14 doubles, 14 home runs, 20 runs, .811 slugging percentage and a .506 on-base percentage.
• Breanna Macha (14-9) has logged a majority of the innings in the circle for Arizona State and holds a 3.86 ERA with 130 strikeouts and 71 walks in 163.1 innings. Dale Ryndak (13-8) has also seen significant time at pitcher and has a 4.72 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 41 walks in 129.0 innings.