SEATTLE - Needing a sweep and a UCLA loss to earn a share of the 2019 Pac-12 Championship, No. 2 Washington (45-7, 20-4 Pac-12) got just that after earning a 3-0 victory over Stanford (32-18, 8-13 Pac-12) on Saturday afternoon.
In a rematch of Thursday's well-pitched game, seniors Carolyn Lee and Taran Alvelo impressed once more, with Lee allowing just three runs over five innings. Alvelo went the first 4.2 scoreless while striking out five to improve to 24-4 with the victory. The loss dropped Lee to 11-9 on the season.
Junior Nikki Bauer finished the game in the circle for the Card, while sophomore Gabbie Plain recorded her fourth save of the season for Washington after logging the final 2.1 scoreless and striking out four.
Neither team managed a run over the first two frames, but Washington made some two-out noise in the third as Morganne Flores lined a single into right-centerfield in front of a two-run homer from freshman Sami Reynolds. For Reynolds, who finished the game 3-for-4 with the homer and two doubles, the round-tripper was the fourth of the season.
The Cardinal, which finished the game with six hits, managed a few scoring opportunities, eventually stranding a pair of runners in the third and sixth. Stanford ultimately left six total runners on base in the setback.
Kristina Inouye and Montana Dixon accounted for four of the Cardinal's six hits, with each collecting a pair of singles as part of 2-for-3 days at the plate.
Bauer did everything she could in the circle to keep the Card within striking distance, taking over for Lee with the bases loaded and nobody out in the sixth before surrendering just a sacrifice fly from Flores to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Card will now await the announcement of the NCAA Women's College World Series field on Sunday at 6 p.m. PT. The selections will be announced live on ESPN2.
Stanford made 16 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 1998 through 2013, including reaching the Women's College World Series in 2001 and 2004, but is seeking its first postseason berth since that 2013 campaign.