STANFORD, Calif. – Alana Vawter held 22nd-ranked Oregon to five hits and two earned runs on Sunday, but it was not enough as the Cardinal (34-18, 9-12 Pac-12) fell 3-0 at Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium. The loss clinches the series in the favor of the Ducks (31-17, 10-14 Pac-12).
Vawter and Stanford's defense entered a dangerous situation in the top of the second as Oregon put two runners in scoring position with only one out after back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt. Vawter struck out Gabby Herrera, and a soft-hit line drive to Emily Young was caught for the final out – stranding both runners.
The Cardinal threatened in the bottom of the third with runners on the corners. Taylor Gindlesperger reached on a fielder's choice to the pitcher, and she was fast enough to advance to third on a single from Sydnee Huff. With two outs in the inning, Stanford was unable to push a run across after Emily Young hit a ground ball to the shortstop that was turned to second base for out number three.
Oregon responded with a leadoff home run in the top of the fourth to straight-away center field and added a second run on a RBI groundout. The Ducks scored an unearned run on a RBI single in the fifth inning for the final run of the day.
Vawter walked one batter in a complete game and added a pair of strikeouts. Kaitlyn Lim doubled on the afternoon while Huff, Young, Dani Hayes and Sydney Steele also had hits.
Stanford closes out the regular season next weekend at Arizona, May 12-14, in Tucson, Ariz. A series victory against the Wildcats could give the Cardinal fourth-place in the Pac-12 standings.