STANFORD, Calif. – The No. 15 Stanford Cardinal will attempt to break the NCAA softball attendance record tomorrow afternoon at the Big Swing, but the weekend’s series will already be decided. The Card won 9-3 tonight to move to 32-8 on the year as well as 11-6 in ACC play, securing the series win against the Golden Bears.
The Cardinal struck first, plating three runs in the first inning. River Mahler reached on a fielder’s choice, then scored from third on a wild pitch with Joie Economides at the plate. Then Economides singled in a pair of runs for good measure to make it 3-0.
Four more runs came across to score for the Card in the third, all coming with two outs. First, Kyra Chan doubled in a run to extend her hitting streak to 18 games. Then after Economides walked, Caelan Koch deposited the first pitch she saw 10 rows beyond the right-field fence.
California broke up what had been three and a third hitless innings for Kylie Chung in the fourth, with back-to-back doubles to score the Bears’ first run of the game. Two more runs would score on a bases loaded walk and a hit batter, making it a 7-3 game.
Stanford added two more in the fifth, after Taryn Kern was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Emily Jones recorded an RBI groundout to make it a 9-3 final.
Alyssa Houston earned the win, entering in the fifth and tossing three scoreless innings. The sophomore struck out three and allowed just one hit to move to 11-1 on the season.
The win also clinches an appearance in the ACC Tournament, set to begin on May 7 in Brighton, Mass. And hosted by Boston College.
Stanford and California go again tomorrow, but the game will be anything but ordinary. The Big Swing will start at 1:00 p.m. PT, with gates opening at 11:30 a.m. PT. The Cardinal and Bears are looking to break the NCAA softball single game attendance record playing at Stanford Stadium. More information, and tickets, can be found at GoStanfod.com/BigSwing.
POSTGAME NOTES:
- Stanford moves to 32-8 (11-6) on the season.
- Juniors Kyra Chan extended her hitting streaks to 18 games.
- The win secures a series win against California for the second consecutive season, after the Card earned a sweep in Berkeley last season.
- Stanford cliches an appearance in this May’s ACC Tournament with the win.
- Sophomore Alyssa Houston picked up her 11th win of the season, tied with senior Kylie Chung for the team lead.