STANFORD, Calif. – A resilient effort by Stanford fell short in extra innings Sunday as the Cardinal dropped a 3-2 decision to Oregon State in 10 innings.
The Cardinal (12-17, 0-6 Pac-12) erased a 2-1 deficit and nearly walked-off the Beavers (24-9-1, 4-5 Pac-12) in the bottom of the seventh inning when Jessica Plaza hit a two-out RBI-triple off the top of the right field wall – about six inches from clearing the fence. Plaza's hit knotted the game at 2-2 but Stanford was unable to bring her home for the winning run.
After scoreless eighth and ninth innings, the Beavers opened the tenth inning with back-to-back hits to take a 3-2 lead. Stanford was unable to generate a run in the bottom half of the inning and Oregon State secured the series sweep.
Carolyn Lee (6-10) provided another strong outing in the circle for the Cardinal, going all 10 innings and limiting the Beavers to three runs on nine hits and two walks with four strikeouts. It is the longest outing of her career and the 10th complete game she's thrown this season.
Plaza paced the Cardinal offensively, going 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a walk. Savannah Schulze provided a clutch leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh inning that led to the game-tying run.
Stanford's defense was excellent throughout the contest and featured diving stops by Lauren Wegner at second base and Kylie Sorenson at shortstop. Plaza also contributed a highlight-worthy catch up against the backstop netting to end the fourth inning.
T4 - Great defensive play by @plazaj22 to get out of the inning. @calee97 cruising ?? in the circle.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/iLzSDLw9Pt
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) April 3, 2016
Jessica Plaza ended the fourth with a catch against the backstop.
Oregon State threatened in the top of the first inning, getting its leadoff runner on and advancing her to third with two outs. Wegner made a diving stop to her left at second base on a hard hit grounder to get Stanford out of the inning unscathed.
Stanford took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the inning. With runners on second and third with two outs, Wegner hit a grounder to the right side of the infield that Oregon State's second baseman was unable to handle and the ball rolled into right field, allowing Kayla Bonstrom to score from third.
The Cardinal threatened again in the second when Plaza singled and Kylie Sorenson walked to put runners on first and second with two outs. However, Stanford could not get the hit needed to extend its lead.
Oregon State broke through in the top of the fifth inning to level the score at 1-1. Shelby Weeks led off with a triple to right field was brought home on a one-out pinch-hit RBI-single by Alysha Everett.
The Beavers took the lead in the top of the sixth inning when Madison Anthony hit a leadoff solo home run to left field.
The Cardinal battled back in the bottom of the seventh inning. Schulze got the rally going with a leadoff double to left-center field. Kaitlin Schaberg came in as a pinch runner and advanced to third on a groundout to the right side of the infield by Bonstrom.
Plaza stepped to the plate and hit a triple off the top padding of the right field fence, bringing in Schaberg from third to level the game at 2-2. Victoria Molina followed with a hard-hit shot to right field but the fielder was there to make the play and send the game to extra innings.
Stanford had runners on in the eighth and ninth innings but could not capitalize and left both stranded.
Oregon State got the game-deciding run in the top of the tenth when Lovie Lopez led off with a double to right-center field. She was brought home in the following at-bat on an RBI-single by Madison Anthony to give the Beavers a 3-2 lead.
Oregon State's Meehra Nelson entered the game with a runner on first and no outs in the ninth inning. She registered six straight outs, striking out five, to seal the victory.
Stanford completes its four-game homestand Wednesday at 6 p.m. (PT) when it plays host to Pacific. It is the final nonconference game of the season for the Cardinal.