SEATTLE - Trailing just 2-0 headed into the bottom of the fifth, Stanford (32-17, 8-12 Pac-12) committed two costly errors that led to six unearned runs in the inning, and eventually an 8-0 run-rule setback at the hands of No. 2 Washington (44-7, 19-4 Pac-12) on Friday afternoon.
With the victory, Washington secured the series win over the Cardinal.
Stanford found itself in two early jams on Friday, but the Card limited the damage to just two runs in the second as Washington stranded the bags loaded in each of the first two innings.
Nikki Bauer, who took over for starter Molly Millar with two on and nobody out in the second inning, nearly tiptoed out of danger after getting a pop up and a strikeout for the first two outs with the bags full. Unfortunately, Sami Reynolds ensured that Washington cashed in on the opportunity on the ensuing play, contributing a clutch two-out, two-RBI single back up the middle to put the Huskies on the board at 2-0.
Bauer impressed in the middle innings, hanging zeros in the third and fourth while allowing just one hit with two strikeouts. It could have been another scoreless frame on the line of Bauer in the fifth, but an error charged to shortstop Emily Young extended the inning long enough for Silent Rain Espinoza to collect a two-out, RBI-single through the left side to extend the Husky lead to 3-0. A second error, this one charged to Emily Klingaman at second base, allowed another unearned run to scamper home and move the tally to 4-0. Sis Bates kept the line moving with a single off the glove of a diving Klingaman, sending Espinoza around to score and handing the Huskies a 5-0 cushion. Morganne Flores made it a five-run inning with a two-RBI double on the ensuing play to push the Huskies to within a run of victory, and Reynolds handed Washington the 8-0 run-rule decision on a line drive into the right-centerfield gap – the fifth and final hit of the inning for the Huskies.
Millar was ultimately charged with the loss after allowing two runs on two hits and three walks over one-plus inning of work. The right-hander dropped to 0-2 on the season. Bauer tossed the final 3.2 innings.
Husky starter Gabbie Plain earned the victory after contributing five scoreless innings and allowing just two hits with nine strikeouts. Plain improved to 19-2 with the win.
Montana Dixon and Whitney Burks collected Stanford's lone hits in the loss, while Reynolds went 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Huskies. Espinoza and Flores also contributed two hits, with Espinoza scoring twice.
The Cardinal will look to salvage the three-game series on Saturday at noon.
