STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford softball hit three home runs on the day, but it was swept by No. 9/8 Arizona in a Friday doubleheader.
Aly Kaneshiro, Emily Young and Taylor Gindlesperger all hit home runs for the Cardinal (22-7, 3-2 Pac-12), but the Wildcats won, 6-1 and 5-3. The second game of the day does not count towards the Pac-12 standings.
Arizona (21-5, 5-2 Pac-12) jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first game of the day and rode a strong outing from Hannah Bowen in the circle. Trailing 4-0 and down to its final out of the fifth inning, Kaneshiro broke up Bowen's no-hitter with a pinch-hit home run to left field. The home run was the first of Kaneshiro's career.
Despite being charged with the loss – only her second of the season – Alana Vawter had a respectable outing for Stanford. The sophomore struck out six batters in her first game against a ranked opponent, and she gave up only four earned runs.
The Wildcats again jumped to an early 5-0 lead in the second game of the doubleheader, but three unanswered runs put the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh.
Emily Young started the rally with a solo shot to left field to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning. A pair of strikeouts kept the Cardinal from trimming the gap beyond Young's home run.
The following inning, Taylor Gindlesperger continued the Stanford rally with her third inside-the-park home run this season. The junior sent a high ball into right field that ricocheted off the wall and rolled back towards the infield.
Gindlesperger's speed allowed her to reach home before the throw even went towards home. Emily Klingaman also scored on the play.
Maddy Dwyer was effective in relief for the Cardinal, holding the Wildcats to four hits and zero runs across 3.2 innings.
Needing two runs to extend the game, Klingaman singled in the bottom of the seventh to put the tying run at the plate. The Cardinal were unable to capitalize and fell, 5-3.
Stanford looks to close out the series with a win in tomorrow's finale. The game will count towards the Pac-12 standings, and start at noon PT.