Stanford (13-20, 0-9 Pac-12)
No. 17/16 Arizona (28-12, 5-4 Pac-12)
Fri. • 5 p.m. | Sat. • 5 p.m. | Sun. • 4 p.m.
Television • Pac-12 Network
Live Statistics • Via GoStanford.com
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STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford continues Pac-12 play this weekend at home with a three-game series against No. 17/12 Arizona.
The series begins Friday at 5 p.m. (PT), continues Saturday at 5 p.m. and concludes Sunday at 4 p.m. All three games will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
The Cardinal (13-20, 0-9 Pac-12) went 1-3 last week, picking up an 11-3 victory against Pacific before dropping a three-game set at No. 13/15 UCLA. Stanford played well against the Bruins but suffered a late comeback defeat in the opener and could not find the hit needed to break through in the series finale, losing 2-1.
After a tough couple weeks offensively, Stanford’s bats came alive last week led by Kylie Sorenson who hit .500 (6-for-12) with two doubles, four runs, an RBI and two walks. Haley Snyder had a big week, hitting .429 (6-for-14) with five RBIs, four runs, a home run and a .714 slugging percentage. Lauren Wegner (.400, 4-for-10) and Whitney Burks (.500, 3-for-6) also had strong showings at the plate.
Snyder and Carolyn Lee provided quality outings in each of their two starts this past week. Snyder picked up a victory against Pacific and pitched well in the second game against UCLA. Lee took two losses against the Bruins but continued to keep Stanford within striking distance.
Lee was particularly impressive in the finale at UCLA, pitching her 11th complete game of the season and holding the Bruins to two runs on seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
Highlight's from Stanford's 2-1 loss at UCLA.
THE ARIZONA SERIES
• Stanford is 10-63-1 all-time against Arizona and went 0-3 against the Wildcats in last year’s series. The Cardinal’s most recent victory against Arizona came on May 10, 2013, when Stanford earned a 2-0 victory.
LEE CONTINUES TO IMPRESS IN DEBUT SEASON
• Freshman Carolyn Lee has provided quality starts for the Cardinal throughout the season and consistently positions Stanford within striking distance for victories. In last week’s series finale against UCLA, Lee held the Bruins to two runs on seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
• Lee made her Pac-12 debut at No. 4/7 Oregon and pitched well, holding the Ducks to five earned runs in 10.0 innings with six strikeouts.
PICKING UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF
• Kayla Bonstrom (international relations), a 2015 NFCA All-America Second Team selection, picked up where she left off last season and is second among Cardinal players with a .303 batting average with 18 RBIs, nine doubles, two home runs, two triples, 21 runs, 11 walks and a .495 slugging percentage.
• Bonstrom missed Stanford’s midweek game against Pacific (April 6) because she was presenting her senior thesis at the United States Military Academy Combating Terrorism Center at West Point conference on terrorism, insurgency and asymmetric conflicts.
• Bonstrom has exceled in the classroom and was a 2015 Capital One Academic Second Team All-American and All-District Softball Team District 8 selection. She was selected to the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) Interschool Honors Program in International Security Studies during her junior year to develop a senior thesis with the federal government related to national security. She’s interested in working in national security upon graduation.
• Bonstrom was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-50 Watch List earlier this season. She was also selected as a Senior CLASS Award Top-30 finalist.
SORENSON CONTINUES STRONG PLAY
• Kylie Sorenson had a quality start to the season and has continued playing well in conference play. She leads Stanford with a .340 batting average with 24 RBIs, seven home runs, five doubles, 25 runs, 18 walks and a .585 slugging percentage. Sorenson leads Stanford with a .321 batting average in conference play. She has also contributed multiple highlight-worthy plays at shortstop.
STABILITY BEHIND THE PLATE
• Four-year starting catcher Jessica Plaza has had quality senior campaign. She is third on the team with a .272 batting average, producing 12 RBIs, six doubles, a triple, 17 runs and 12 walks.
Jessica Plaza made a diving catch in the series-opener at UCLA.
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG PLAYS
• Molly Fowkes entered the series finale at UCLA as a pinch hitter in the top of the fifth inning and had an immediate impact with a leadoff single up the middle on a 0-2 count. She made a diving catch in left field in the bottom half of the inning on a line drive dipping right in front of her. Her catch was the No. 3 play on the April 11 SportsCenter Top-10 Plays.
Molly Fowkes' diving catch was No. 3 on SportCenter's Top-10 Plays.