STANFORD, Calif. – Lauren Bertoy and Bessie Noll hit back-to-back RBI-doubles in the bottom of the seventh inning but it was not quite enough to complete a comeback effort against No. 15 Utah as Stanford fell, 8-6, on Friday evening.
After a three-run top of the seventh inning by the Utes (22-7, 4-2 Pac-12), the Cardinal (16-14, 0-4 Pac-12) rallied for three runs on three hits to cut Utah's lead to 8-6. Stanford loaded the bases with two outs but could not get the hit needed to finish the comeback.
The Cardinal hit the ball hard throughout the game but managed just four hits through the first six innings and finished the game 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Kristina Inouye paced Stanford offensively, going 2-for-4 with a double. She is hitting .500 (6-for-12) through four Pac-12 games this season.
Stanford's first three batters – Kylie Sorenson, Teaghan Cowles and Bertoy – accounted for every Cardinal run, scoring two apiece. Noll and Bertoy contributed RBI-doubles in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead Stanford's comeback effort.
Stanford went down but never quit.
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) April 1, 2017
Plenty of individual highlights from tonight's defeat. #GoStanford ??https://t.co/OsSdVbYKU0
Highlights from Stanford's series-opener against No. 15 Utah.
Carolyn Lee (7-9) got the start in the circle and pitched well, holding Utah to five runs through the first six innings. She ran into trouble in the seventh with Utah up 5-3 and left the game with the bases loaded and one out.
Kiana Pancino entered the circle in relief. The Utes produced a bases-clearing double to take a commanding 8-3 lead. Pancino retired the next two batters to get out of the inning and limit the damage.
The Cardinal was sound defensively, highlighted by multiple quality catches by Noll in center field.
Stanford took advantage of a series of errors by Utah in the bottom of the third inning to produce three runs and take an early 3-1 lead. The Utes responded in the following frame with four runs of its own to retake the lead 5-3.
After the Utes added three runs in the top of the seventh, Stanford rallied for three runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning. The Cardinal loaded the bases with two outs but the next batter struck out to end the game.
Stanford will look to rebound Saturday at 2 p.m. (PT). The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Network and live statistics will be available via GoStanford.com.