STANFORD, Calif. – The Stanford softball team dominated the visiting Boise State Broncos tonight, winning 7-0 after over an hour and a half long rain delay prior to the first pitch. Sophomore pitcher NiJaree Canady was electric in the circle, striking out a season-best 16 in the three-hit shutout.
The Cardinal scored first for the sixth-straight game, posting three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Aly Kaneshiro opened the burst with an RBI double, before senior Caelan Koch drove in another with an RBI single. Kaneshiro came around to score on an RBI sac fly from sophomore Emily Jones.
Two more runs came across in the bottom of the fourth, after sophomore River Mahler reached on an RBI fielder's choice to make it 4-0. Kaneshiro again was involved in runs scoring, singling in another run for her second RBI of the night.
Stanford added another two in the fifth to make it a 7-0 final. Sophomore Taryn Kern singled to score Jones, before Mahler recorded a sacrifice fly to plate freshman Jade Berry.
The balanced performance kept a number of Cardinal streaks alive. With her 16 punchouts, Canady has now struck out at least 10 batters in each of her last three starts. Freshman Ava Gall had her fourth-straight game with a hit, and Kern extended a pair of streaks.
The sophomore from San Jose has now reached base safely in all 15 games to start the season, and has walked in each of the last 11 games. Kern leads the team in OBP at an eye-catching .552 clip.
Stanford and Boise State are back at it tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m. PT.
