FRESNO, Calif. – Closing out the nonconference portion of the regular season on Tuesday night, Stanford (31-10) went on the road and edged Fresno State (30-15) by a score of 3-2 from Margie Wright Diamond.
With the victory, Stanford improves to 12-3 in one-run games this year.
The Card was limited to just an Emily Klingaman two-out single in the second over the first four innings, but broke through with two runs on two hits and one error in the fifth to take a 2-0 lead. Emily Young reached on an error to start the frame, stole second, and came around to score on an RBI-triple from Emily Schultz. The triple was Schultz' fourth of the season and extended the Stanford single-season program record to 23. Klingaman took advantage of the situational opportunity on the next play, lining a sacrifice fly into centerfield to deliver the second run of the frame.
T5 » ?? 1, ?? 0 @emilyschultz33 picks up her fourth triple of the season to put the Card on the board! It's triple No. 23 for Stanford - extending the program record.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/pnkAWO9gAw
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) April 24, 2019
Fresno State punched right back in the bottom of the inning, scoring a pair of runs on a two-run homer from McKenzie Wilson – the first career round-tripper for the freshman.
The Cardinal scored the eventual game-winning run without the benefit of a hit in the sixth inning, as a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bags with nobody out. Reliever Danielle East induced a shallow pop up and a ground ball to first for the first two outs to keep Stanford off the board, but Kelcey Carrasco was charged with catcher's interference on the ensuing play as Klingaman's swing smacked the glove of the backstop to force in the go-ahead run.
After a leadoff double from Rachel Minogue in the bottom of the sixth, Stanford elected to call upon Kiana Pancino out of the bullpen, and the junior responded by retiring the next three in order to shut down a potential rally and keep the lead intact at 3-2.
Maddy Dwyer earned the victory and moved to 12-6 after taking over in the third inning and logging 2.2 innings of work while allowing a pair of runs on four hits. Pancino turned in a crucial 1.2 innings, but it was starter Carolyn Lee who entered with one on and two out in the seventh to record the final out and pick up her first save of the season. Over two turns in the circle, Lee amassed 2.2 innings and allowed just one hit.
Fresno State starter Danielle Lung was charged with the loss after surrendering three runs (one earned) over five innings in the circle. The decision dropped Lung to 13-4 on the season.
Stanford managed only three hits in the game, but the patient Cardinal drew six walks, including three from Kristina Inouye, and one hit-by-pitch to create its scoring chances.
Stanford will return to action on Friday when it opens a three-game Pac-12 home series with Arizona State at 7 p.m.