Stanford (17-34, 2-19 Pac-12)
No. 19/19 California (35-16, 7-14 Pac-12)
Thur. – 3 p.m. (PT) • Fri. – 4 p.m. • Sat. – 3 p.m.
Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, Calif.
Television • Pac-12 Networks
Live Stats • Provided via GoStanford.com
Radio • 90.1 KZSU (Saturday only)
Social • Facebook.com/StanfordSBall • Twitter.com/StanfordSBall • Instagram.com/StanfordSoftball
STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford’s regular season concludes this weekend when it travels to Bay Area rival No. 19/19 California for a three-game series.
The Cardinal (17-34, 2-19 Pac-12) begins the series Thursday at 3 p.m. (PT). The series continues Friday at 4 p.m. and concludes Saturday at 3 p.m. All three games will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
Stanford continued Pac-12 play last weekend, going 1-2 against No. 24/23 Arizona State. The Cardinal is coming off a thrilling 4-2 victory in the series finale in which it scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the game to extra innings where freshman Victoria Molina hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth.
Kayla Bonstrom led Stanford offensively, going 3-for-7 (.429) with three RBIs, two walks and a double. Lauren Bertoy had a nice weekend at the plate, batting 3-for-4 (.750) and producing the game-tying run in Stanford’s comeback victory Sunday. Erin Ashby registered one hit on the weekend but made it count, hitting a home run in Sunday’s win.
Stanford’s pitching staff – comprised solely of position players due to injuries to starting pitchers – had trouble limiting Arizona State’s offense in the first two games of the series but broke through in game three. Kylie Sorenson (4-10) tossed 3.0 scoreless innings to start and Erin Ashby (1-4) limited the Sun Devils to two runs – one earned – on eight hits and four walks in 6.0 innings.
Ashby’s outing in the circle Sunday was her first career win and tied her career-high for innings pitched in a single game.
Game times, live statistics and results are available via GoStanford.com.
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THE CALIFORNIA SERIES
• Stanford is 28-39 all-time against California and went 1-2 against the Golden Bears in last year’s series. The Cardinal defeated California in the Pac-12 opener last year, rallying for six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to earn a wild 14-13 victory. California picked up both wins in a doubleheader the following day, outscoring the Cardinal 2-1 and 11-5.
PLENTY OF FIREPOWER
• Stanford has been strong offensively, hitting .278 as a team with 372 hits, 269 runs, 61 doubles, 37 home runs, 11 triples, a .424 slugging percentage and .381 on-base percentage.
• If the season ended this past weekend, Stanford’s offensive numbers would rank the in the top-11 in program history for a single season in the following categories: walks (7th, 195), home runs (8th, 37), triples (8th, 11), slugging percentage (9th, .424), batting average (11th, .278) and RBI (11th, 254).
• 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 .774 slugging percentage. She leads the team in hits (63), home runs (11), doubles (15), RBIs (50), runs (41) and on-base percentage (.546).
• Bonstrom has at least one hit in 37-of-51 games (73 percent) and has registered a hit in 20 of the past 31 contests, accumulating 37 hits during that span.
• Kayla Bonstrom ranks in the top-10 in multiple offensive categories among Pac-12 players including: batting average (9th, .432), doubles (T-6th, 15), slugging percentage (T-7th, .774), hits (T-9th, 63), on-base percentage (4th, .543), RBI (10th, 50) and hit by pitch (1st, 15).
• 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 third on the team with a .296 batting average and has produced the second-most RBIs with 37. Ashby has provided plenty of power and is second on the team with a .504 slugging percentage.
VICTORY MOLINA
• Freshman Victoria Molina hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning this past Sunday against No. 24/23 Arizona State to propel Stanford to a 4-2 victory. Three of her four hits this season have been home runs.
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 second on the team with a .297 batting average, generating 44 hits, 35 runs, 16 RBIs, two triples and a .365 on-base percentage.
• Wells will attend Santa Clara Law School in the fall 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 seven 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 CALIFORNIA
• California enters the weekend with a 35-16 record and 7-14 mark in conference play. The Golden Bears dropped all three games last weekend No. 2/2 Oregon.
• California boasts a balanced lineup with seven players hitting over .280. Jazmyn Jackson paces the Golden Bears offensively with a .448 batting average, generating 74 hits, 48 runs, 20 RBIs, seven doubles, four triples and a .558 slugging percentage. Britt Vonk is also having a strong season at the plate, hitting .438 with 63 hits, 22 RBI and six doubles.
• Katie Sutherland-Finch (15-10) has logged a majority of the innings in the circle for California and holds a 3.97 ERA with 102 strikeouts and 58 walks in 155.1 innings. Stephanie Trzcinski (15-5) has also seen significant time at pitcher and boasts a 3.57 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 45 walks in 125.1 innings.