STANFORD, Calif. - No. 22 Stanford (19-3) split a pair of one-run games on Saturday from the Cardinal Classic, dropping a 1-0 decision to UNLV (18-5) before rebounding to defeat UMass Lowell (6-8), 4-3.
The 1-0 setback to the Rebels snapped a 12-game win streak for the Card.
Junior @Montanamariee12 belted her first home run of the season in a 4-3 win over UMass Lowell on Saturday night. ?? to what she had to say to @JennaBecerra01 about her approach and what she's learned from head coach @JessicaAllister! #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/4ofkOvIOUU
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) March 10, 2019
While both games featured strong pitching from Stanford, game one against UNLV was a classic pitchers' duel. Sophomore Maddy Dwyer went toe-to-toe with UNLV's Jenny Bressler, as the pair traded zeros into the seventh inning.
Dwyer, who fell to 6-2 with the loss, issued a one-out walk in the seventh before Statia Cermak delivered a single into left field – just the second hit of the game for the Rebels. Batting with runners at first and second, Samantha Diaz punched an RBI-single into centerfield on the ensuing play that proved to be the game-winner.
M3 » ?? 0, UNLV 0@maddy__dwyer with the filthy change of speeds. No. Chance.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/s1DqluJBwf
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) March 10, 2019
Dwyer allowed just the one run on three hits and two walks. On the other side, Bressler went the distance in a complete-game shutout, scattering five hits and two walks while striking out six to move to 11-2 on the season.
Perhaps still feeling the sting of the one-run setback, Stanford allowed a run in the first inning of game two, but responded with two of its own to take a 2-1 lead after one. The Card finished a single short of the cycle in the first, with all three hits coming with two out. Kristina Inouye connected for a triple in front of Montana Dixon's first home run of the season – a mammoth blast to centerfield. Hannah Howell followed with a double, but was stranded there one play later.
??s away for @Montanamariee12!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/9KZgfBYq8h
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) March 10, 2019
After giving up a run in the first, senior Carolyn Lee settled in nicely in the middle innings. The right-hander did not allow a run in the second through fourth frames, but three errors charged to the Cardinal resulted in two unearned runs in the fifth. Stanford had scored a run in the fourth inning on an Alyssa Horeczko single, but the two from the River Hawks in the fifth left the game knotted at three apiece.
The Cardinal managed to break the tie in the sixth inning, receiving a leadoff triple from Emily Young before senior Molly Fowkes contributed the RBI-groundout one play later.
Lee made the one-run cushion stand up in the seventh, working around a one-out double from Courtney Cashman and inducing a popup to third to end the game.
All told, Lee tossed a complete game and allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk while striking out seven. The victory moved her to 5-1 on the season.
. @calee97 may or may not be throwing a whiffle ball out there tonight...??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/AzXmtyD141
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) March 10, 2019
Stanford will complete play at the Cardinal Classic on Sunday, meeting UNLV at 11:15 p.m. before matching up against Bucknell at 1:30 p.m.