CORVALLIS, Ore. - Senior Carolyn Lee made two separate appearances in the circle for No. 24 Stanford on Friday night, compiling 6.1 innings and allowing just one run on a hit and no walks while striking out five, to guide the Cardinal (27-6, 5-1 Pac-12) to a 3-2 victory over Oregon State (19-14, 1-9 Pac-12) in game one of a three-game conference series.
Lee faced one over the minimum through the first five innings, surrendering just a solo homer to Frankie Hammoude to break a scoreless game in the second. The round-tripper was Hammoude's team-leading ninth of the season.
Outside of the home run, the only other blemish on Lee's line was a hit-by-pitch issued to Jessica Garcia in the sixth inning.
Trailing by a run after three frames, the Cardinal drew even with a run in the fourth, as Hannah Howell punched a ball off of Maia Rader's glove at shortstop and into centerfield to allow Kristina Inouye to scamper home from second. The error which allowed the run to score was one of three charged to the Beavers on Friday night.
Still knotted at one run apiece in the fifth, Montana Dixon came up with the big hit to push Stanford to its first lead, splitting the gap in right-centerfield for a double to bring home Teaghan Cowles and Inouye. Cowles and Inouye, who finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored, had reached with singles earlier in the inning.
M5 » ?? 3, OSU 1@Montanamariee12 splits the gap in right-center to drive in a pair!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/ljXBdjxaIt
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) April 6, 2019
Stanford elected to call to the bullpen in the seventh, summoning Kiana Pancino with a 3-1 lead. Pancino was charged with a run on two hits while getting two outs in the inning, but Lee re-entered the game and struck out Rader to end the game and strand a pair of runners.
Here's the final strikeout from @calee97 to seal a 3-2 win over Oregon State on Friday night! #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/iq0H8bm0Es
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) April 6, 2019
Eventually finishing what she started, Lee improved to 9-3 with the victory. Mariah Mazon was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk while striking out four. Despite a complete-game effort, Mazon dropped to 10-9 with the decision.
Stanford will look to secure the series win on Saturday at 6 p.m.