BERKELEY, Calif. - The No. 9 Stanford Cardinal completed a three-game sweep at No. 17 California today, winning 7-4 to mark the first time since 2013 that the team has swept the Golden Bears in Berkeley. The Card moves to 22-5 on the season, and a perfect 3-0 in Pac-12 play with the win this afternoon.
The Cardinal bats got going right out of the gate, with sophomore Taryn Kern taking the third pitch of the game and sending it out of the ballpark. The solo homer was her second of the season, both of which led off the game.
California scored in the bottom of the first to tie it up, before the Card retook the lead in the top of the third. Senior Caelan Koch smacked a two-run opposite field homer to make it 3-1.
Again, California was able to answer in the bottom of the inning. After a run in the bottom of the third made it a 3-2 game, Stanford added another in the top of the fourth to extend it to 4-2. Sophomore River Mahler smoked a single up the middle to score sophomore Emily Jones from second.
Koch came up big again, hitting another homer in the top of the fifth. This one was a solo shot, making it a 5-2 game. Then in the same inning, Mahler tripled to score two and extend the lead to 7-2 Cardinal.
California recorded a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 7-4 final score.
Senior Regan Krause earned her ninth win of the season, allowing just two runs in 4.2 innings pitched.
The Card is back in action next weekend with another Pac-12 series, this time against Utah. Friday's series opener is set for 6:00 p.m. PT, with tickets still available at tickets.gostanford.com.
