STANFORD, Calif. - Freshman Sydney Steele played the role of hero on Tuesday night, connecting for a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to hand Stanford (11-2) a 7-3 victory over Fresno State (8-3).
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The walk-off win was the fourth of the season for the Cardinal, including the third by way of a walk-off home run. It was also the sixth win in Stanford's final at bat this year.
Montana Dixon and Taylor Gindlesperger had reached with singles before Kaitlyn Lim drew a hit-by-pitch to load the bases for Steele. The freshman from Poway, Calif. connected on a 2-2 pitch and delivered it over the wall in centerfield for the game-winner. The round-tripper was her second of the season.
Steele went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBIs after putting the Cardinal on the board with an RBI-double in the first inning.
The 1-0 cushion held until the fifth inning when Fresno State plated three runs on three hits – including a two-RBI single from Schuylar Broussard.
Trailing by a pair headed into the sixth, Stanford drew even at 3-3 after drawing a pair of bases-loaded walks. Dixon nearly handed Stanford the lead in that same inning, lining a ball to third that went for an inning-ending double play and kept the score knotted.
The Cardinal had another golden opportunity to win the game in the seventh as Teaghan Cowles led off with a single and stole second base. With one out, Cowles took off for third, but was thrown out trying to steal – ending a string of 32 straight successful attempts for the Cardinal to open the season. Lim hit the next pitch off the wall in centerfield for what would have been the game-winner, but was ultimately stranded there as the teams played on.
Before Steele won it in the home-half of the ninth, Fresno State nearly took the lead in the top half. McKenzie Wilson punched a single back up the middle and Haley Fuller was sent around third trying to score. Gindlesperger came up throwing and cut down the go-ahead run – maintaining the tie.
Freshman Tatum Boyd pitched the final 4.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing five hits and striking out a pair en route to picking up the win and moving to 4-0.
Hailey Dolcini was charged with the loss after allowing the grand slam to end three innings of work. Dolcini fell to 3-1 with the decision.
Stanford will now prepare for a three-game series against Nevada this weekend. Action gets underway with a Saturday doubleheader slated for 1 p.m.