AUSTIN, Texas – The Stanford softball team went 2-0 today at day two of the Lone Star State Invitational, topping Louisiana 8-0 and the hosting No. 2 Texas Longhorns 4-3 in eight innings. The wins move the Card to 9-4 on the season, and come just a week after the Card defeated then-No. 2 Tennessee at the Clearwater Invitational.
Sophomore pitcher NiJaree Canady was sensational in the win over Texas, allowing three runs, two earned, and striking out 11.
For the fourth-straight game, the Cardinal struck first. After an error in the outfield, sophomore Taryn Kern was able to cross home and give Stanford the 1-0 lead, with sophomore River Mahler making it to third base on the play. In the next at bat, Mahler slid around a tag at the plate to steal home and make it a 2-0 lead.
Texas answered with a run in the bottom of the first to make it 2-1, scoring on an error.
In the third, Stanford extended the lead with an RBI double by senior Caelan Koch to make it 3-1. Texas answered again, hitting a two-run homer to even the game at 3-3.
Canady settled in after the third, throwing four shutout innings to send the game to the eighth inning tied 3-3.
In the top of the eighth, Mahler scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly thanks to her second acrobatic slide at home plate of the night.
Canady struck out two in the eighth to cap the win.
Prior to the matchup with the Longhorns, Stanford opened the day with a run-rule win over Louisiana. The Card opened the scoring early, scoring in the bottom of the second after sophomore Emily Jones reached third on an error. Freshman Jade Berry drove her in with an RBI sacrifice fly, giving the Cardinal the early 1-0 lead for the third-straight game.
Stanford added runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth, thanks to RBI doubles from Jones and junior Allie Clements, respectively. After the fifth inning, Stanford led 4-0.
Stanford scored four times in the sixth inning to walk off the game, starting with freshman Ava Gall hitting a solo shot to open the inning and make it 5-0. Sophomore Kyra Chan singled in another run to make it 6-0, before Mahler stepped into the box. With three on base, Mahler blasted a double to score two and walk off the game.
Senior Regan Krause earned the win, her fourth of the season, behind six shutout innings with just five hits allowed.
Kern's three walks on the day marked her eighth and ninth-straight games with a walk drawn. The sophomore has now reached base safely in each of the Card's first 13 games to start the season.
Stanford is back tomorrow with the team's final game of the Lone Star State Invitational against Colorado State. First pitch is set for 8:00 a.m. PT, and can be streamed on Longhorn Network.
