Near-Perfect FinishNear-Perfect Finish
Karen Ambrose Hickey/isiphotos
Softball

Near-Perfect Finish

Box Score

STANFORD, Calif. - Freshman Alana Vawter allowed just one two-out hit to Aubree Beitzinger in the sixth inning, and Stanford's offense exploded for nine runs on eight hits, including a walk-off two-run home run from Teaghan Cowles, to capture a 9-0 victory over Drake (5-5) on Sunday afternoon.

The victory put a close to a perfect 4-0 weekend at the Stanford Invitational for the Cardinal, which improved to 10-2 on the season.

Vawter faced just one over the minimum en route to picking up the win and moving to 3-0 on the season. The right-hander issued a one-out walk in the fifth inning, but promptly induced an inning-ending double play to quickly escape.

Still carrying the no-hitter with two out in the sixth, Vawter worked the count to 2-2 before Beitzinger punched one just out of the reach of the Stanford defense on the left side of the infield for a single. Vawter would then retire the next hitter, and Cowles' two-run home run in the bottom of the inning put an end to the contest.

All told, Vawter tossed six scoreless frames and allowed just the two baserunners while striking out two. She threw 64 pitches, including 44 for strikes.

Offensively, Stanford received a career day from freshman Kaitlyn Lim. The native of Irvine, Calif. finished 1-for-3 with four RBIs – including a bases-clearing three-RBI triple to highlight a five-run second inning for the Cardinal. Over four games played at the Stanford Invitational, Lim drove in seven runs while hitting .333 with a triple and a homer.

Including the home run, Cowles went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI, with the round-tripper serving as her first of the year. Senior Hannah Howell continued her torrid pace, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while sophomore Taylor Gindlesperger batted 1-for-1 with two runs scored, a pair of RBIs and two stolen bases.

Through 11 games played this year, Howell is hitting a team-best .476 and is reaching at a .500 clip. Over the four games at the Stanford Invitational, Howell hit .636 with three stolen bases.

Gindlesperger is hitting .444 having started all 12 games in centerfield for the Cardinal. Reaching at a .524 clip, she is also 7-for-7 in stolen bases to help Stanford to a perfect 28-for-28 in the category.

Drake's Allie Timmons was saddled with the loss after allowing nine runs on eight hits and two walks over 5.1 innings of work. Timmons fell to 0-2 with the decision.

Stanford will now turn its attention to a Tuesday matchup against Fresno State. Action is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. from Boyd and Jill Smith Family Stadium.