TUCSON, Ariz. – The No. 9 Cardinal moved to a perfect 7-0 in Pac-12 play tonight, run-ruling No. 21 Arizona in Tucson 9-0. The 7-0 start to Pac-12 play is a program best, and just the second-ever seven-game conference winning streak. Stanford previously had won seven-straight in 2005, and posted six-game streaks five times. The win moves Stanford to 26-5 on the season.
Sophomore pitcher NiJaree Canady earned the shutout, throwing five scoreless innings with just three hits allowed. Canady struck out seven Wildcats on the night to extend her NCAA-leading total to 159.
The Cardinal bats came alive for a five-run inning in the third, led by back-to-back doubles from seniors Aly Kaneshiro and Caelan Koch to make it 3-0. Sophomore Emily Jones drove another one in on a fielder's choice, and sophomore Kyra Chan plated another with an RBI groundout.
Stanford added two more in the fourth, with freshman Jade Berry singling in a run to make it 6-0. Then Jones drove in another run, this time on a sacrifice fly, to make it 7-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth.
The offense kept churning in the fifth, with sophomore Taryn Kern crushing a two-run homer for the third-straight game. The long ball was her fifth of the season and fourth in the last five games, and made it a 9-0 Cardinal lead.
Canady closed the game out in the bottom of the fifth to secure the win.
Stanford is back tomorrow for another 6:00 p.m. PT game against the Wildcats.