STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford’s 2025 season opened with a win tonight, as the No. 18 Cardinal moved to 1-0 with a 5-2 win over Seattle U (0-2). Kylie Chung and Alyssa Houston combined to strike out 11 and surrender just two hits in the circle, and eight different Stanford batters recorded a hit in the balanced performance.
Both teams came out swinging, with Seattle and Stanford each scoring a pair of runs in the first inning. Seattle’s damage came one just one hit, an RBI double that scored runners put on via a walk and HBP.
The Card answered quickly in the home half of the inning, after Taryn Kern singled and scored on a base hit from River Mahler. Mahler would come around to score on an RBI groundout from Allie Clements to even it at 2-2.
After the first inning, Kylie Chung settled into a groove. In her remaining 3.1 innings of scoreless work, the senior only allowed two baserunners and struck out four.
Stanford took the lead for good in the third inning, with Caelan Koch driving in a pair with a two-out single. Koch came around to score from third on an error, and make it a 5-2 lead.
Sophomore Alyssa Houston entered in relief in the fourth inning, earning the save with a lockdown performance. In 2.2 innings of scoreless work, Houston only allowed one runner to reach base on a walk. Houston’s five strikeouts marked a career single-game best.
The Cardinal is back tomorrow with a pair of games, taking on Fresno State at 12:30 p.m. PT, followed by Seattle U at 3:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available at Tickets.GoStanford.com, and both games can be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
POSTGAME NOTES:
- The first home run in Stanford Stadium history came today off a Long Beach State bat, with Rebekah Durzao hitting a long ball off of Pacific’s Hannah Glad. The shot to left field came in the top of the second in the tournament’s 10:00 a.m. game.
- Senior Kylie Chung was sharp in the circle, striking out six and allowing just two runs on two hits in 4.1 IP for her first win of the season.
- Sophomore Alyssa Houston earned her first save of the season with 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out five and allowing just one baserunner.
- Chung and Houston each posted single-game career highs for strikeouts, with six and five, respectively.
- Junior Taryn Kern led the Cardinal with three hits.
- Freshman Joie Economides made her first career start, opening the day in the DP spot and going 1-for-2 with a walk.
- Freshman Mylia Perez made her debut, pinch running and stealing second for her first collegiate steal.
- The Cardinal recorded at least one hit in each inning of tonight’s game.