STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford's offense came out strong in the final game of the Stanford Invitational on Sunday afternoon, as Whitney Burks went 4-for-5 with a double, a homer and four RBI to guide the Card (16-2) to a 13-5 run-rule win over Cal Poly (3-14).
The victory extended Stanford's win streak to 10 games – the longest since the 2014 squad began the year 13-0.
?? & ?? to what @kristina_inouye had to say to @JennaBecerra01 after today's 13-5 rout of Cal Poly that completed a 5-0 weekend for the Card!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/Qxv3p9Y0Oi
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) March 4, 2019
Burks, who ran her homer total to three with the Sunday long ball, was one of five Stanford hitters to finish with multiple hits, as Emily Young (3-for-4), Teaghan Cowles (2-for-2), Montana Dixon (2-for-4) and Alyssa Horeczko (2-for-3) each accomplished the feat. Cowles scored four times and drew three walks, including two intentional passes, as the leadoff hitter in the order. As a team, Stanford managed seven extra base hits.
For Burks, the four-hit day is the first of her career, while the four RBI match her career high for the seventh time.
Junior Kristina Inouye made the most of her one hit on the afternoon, launching a grand slam in the four-run second inning. The homer was Inouye's second of the year, and came as part of a 1-for-3 day that included two runs scored and five RBI. The native of Huntington Beach, Calif. has now driven in 20 runs this year, and Sunday marks the second time this season that she has posted five or more RBI in a game.
?? the ?? from @kristina_inouye!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/exFoJt7ZNj
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) March 3, 2019
Freshman Emily Klingaman and Burks each doubled in the first inning to hand the Cardinal a 2-0 advantage after one frame. While Cal Poly managed to score a run of its own in the second, the Cardinal responded with the four from Inouye's grand slam to carry a 6-1 lead into the third.
The Mustangs again answered the bell with two runs in the third inning, but Stanford hung another four on the board in the home half to open up a 10-3 lead. Run-scoring singles from Burks and Dixon highlighted the four-run inning for the Cardinal.
After Cal Poly managed a pair of runs in the fifth, Burks collected her third hit of the day in the bottom of the inning, sending a home run out to straight-away centerfield to hand the Cardinal an 11-5 cushion.
Needing two runs to record the walk-off run-rule victory, Stanford got just that in the sixth as Inouye drew a bases-loaded walk in front of Burks' walk-off RBI-single into left centerfield.
Walk-off winners!
— Stanford Athletics (@GoStanford) March 4, 2019
That's 10 wins in a row for @StanfordSball ??????#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/Jze4Ggm1Py
Junior Kiana Pancino was credited with the win after tossing the final two scoreless frames and striking out two. The right-hander improves to 5-0 with the victory.
Stanford will return to action on Wednesday when it hosts a doubleheader against Sacramento State starting at 4 p.m.