SEATTLE, Wash. – Errors proved costly for No. 21 Stanford softball (32-16, 8-10 Pac-12) in a 3-1 defeat to 10th-ranked Washington, Sunday afternoon at Husky Softball Stadium.
All three of Washington's (32-10, 12-6 Pac-12) runs were unearned as errors in the third and fourth innings brought the deciding runs across the plate. Kinsey Fielder grounded into a fielder's choice, but when the throw went to second to put out the lead runner, Emily Young couldn't contain the ball to make the tag for the lead out. A sacrifice fly and a fielder's choice brought the Huskies' first two runs across the board as they did not have an out in the inning.
A squeeze play brought Washington's third run across in the fifth inning. The bunt went to Alana Vawter who went to make the tag at the plate, but the home plate umpire ruled she did not have control of the ball when applying the tag and the runner slid in safely.
Taylor Gindlesperger tripled in the top of the fifth to bat in Stanford's lone run. Caelan Koch drew a walk to put a runner on base, and Gindlesperger followed with a shot to left field to push Koch across the plate from first base. The triple was Gindlesperger's fifth of the season, and the Cardinal's 22nd of the year.
With two outs, Sydnee Huff nearly batted Gindlesperger across the plate to make it a one-run game, but her line drive down the third base line was caught for the final out of the inning.
Stanford out-hit the Huskies 4-2 on the day, and limited Washington to zero hits with runners on base (0-for-9), and zero hits with runners in scoring position (0-for-2).
The Cardinal returns to action on Wednesday with the final nonconference game at Saint Mary's, May 4. Stanford then hosts Top-25 Oregon in the final home series at Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium this season, May 6-8.