STANFORD, Calif. – A two-run home run in the top of the third proved the difference maker as Stanford softball (30-13, 7-7 Pac-12) dropped game two of the series to 10th-ranked Arizona State, 3-1 Saturday at Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium. The loss sets up a rubber match between the two teams on Sunday.
The Sun Devils (32-6, 13-1 Pac-12) took the lead in the top of the third thanks to a two-run home run from Alynah Torres. They loaded the bases in the top of the fourth, but Stanford's defense held strong to allow only one run to come across the plate – on a no out sacrifice fly to foul territory – to hold the gap at 3-0.
Stanford rallied in the bottom of the fifth to score a run after singles from Aly Kaneshiro and Ellee Eck put runners on first and second with two outs. Taylor Gindlesperger hit a slow roller to the shortstop, who couldn't field the ball cleanly trying to turn the play to second. Eck reached second safely, and Kaneshiro made it home in plenty of time to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
Over the final three innings, Stanford's defense held the Sun Devils to four base runners – with only one reaching off a base hit. Arizona State managed four hits on the day, going 2-for-18 with runners on and 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, to leave 10 runners on base on the afternoon.
The Cardinal put the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a single from Eck into right field. Consecutive fly outs to foul territory halted the comeback attempt and ended the game.
Tatum Boyd pitched effectively in relief for Stanford, allowing two batters on – only one off a hit – in 2.2 innings of action. Both Kaneshiro and Eck went 2-for-3 at the plate.
The Cardinal looks to claim the series with tomorrow's rubber match set for noon on the Stanford Live Stream.