Strong Start, Tough Finish

Lead Image by Mike Rasay/ISIPhotos.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Stanford split a pair of games to open the Easton Crimson Classic on Friday, earning a dominating victory against Drake but falling in extra innings to Jacksonville.
 
It was a tale of two games for the Cardinal (11-6), which dominated in every aspect against the Bulldogs (12-6) but struggled defensively and with runners on base against the Dolphins (11-5).
 
Carolyn Lee (5-4) got the start against Drake and had a no-hitter through 4.2 innings before it was broken up by a single that glanced off the glove of a diving Kylie Sorenson at shortstop. It was the first one-hitter thrown by a Stanford pitcher since Kelsey Stevens on May 4, 2013 – a 17-2 victory at California.
 
Lee racked up six strikeouts and permitted just two walks to earn the win.
 
Nikki Bauer and Kiana Pancino (2-1) teamed up in the circle against Jacksonville. Bauer got the start and went 5.0 innings, holding the Dolphins to four runs – two earned – on six hits and one walk with one strikeout. Pancino entered the game in relief and was excellent, racking up a season-high six strikeouts and limiting Jacksonville to two runs – one earned – in 4.0 innings.*** Lauren Bertoy led Stanford offensively against Drake, going 2-for-3 with four RBIs. Teaghan Cowles and Kylie Sorenson both went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
 
Stanford did most of its offensive damage in the third inning, batting around its lineup to produce five runs on five hits. Cowles, Sorenson and Whitney Burks contributed RBI-singles to give the Cardinal a 3-0 advantage. Bertoy added to the damage with a two-RBI single to left field to make the score, 5-0.
 
Stanford put away the Bulldogs in the fifth inning with four more runs. Alyssa Horeczko led off the inning with a single and came home on a double to the left-center field gap by Cowles.
 
Kylie Sorenson followed with an RBI-triple to nearly the exact same spot Cowles doubled to. Three batters later, Bertoy delivered her second two-RBI single of the game to extend Stanford's lead to 9-0.
 
Lee got two quick outs before giving up her lone single of the game. She responded by striking out the next batter to end the game and seal the victory.***Stanford had trouble getting going offensively against Jacksonville, leaving two runners on base in each of the first three innings. A trio of Cardinal errors did not help matters and led to two Dolphins runs.
 
Jacksonville continued to chip away to add to its lead, scoring a run in the third and fourth innings to lead, 4-0.
 
Stanford broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning with four runs to level the score at 4-4. Horeczko led off the inning with a single and after a walk to Sorenson, Noll brought the pair home with a double to left-center field to cut the deficit in half, 4-2.
 
Burks singled to second base in the next at-bat to bring Noll around from second and make it a one-run game. Arden Pettit tied the score at 4-4 with an RBI-single to right field.
 
The Cardinal had a runner on second with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning but could not get the hit needed to bring the runner around and take the victory.
 
After a scoreless eighth inning, Jacksonville capitalized on a fourth Stanford error to take a 6-4 lead.
 
Sorenson singled in the bottom of the ninth with one out but Stanford was unable to generate a rally and secure the runs needed.
 
Stanford returns to action Saturday with a pair of games against Jacksonville (9 a.m. PT) and No. 11 Alabama (11:30 a.m.). The game against the Crimson Tide will be broadcast on SEC Network+.