STANFORD, Calif. – The No. 19 Cardinal (14-6, 4-2 ACC) hosts Notre Dame (9-15, 0-3 ACC) this weekend for a three-game series at Stanford Softball Stadium.
Stanford is coming off a three-game sweep last weekend, dispatching Pitt at home. The Card owns a 6-0 all-time record against Notre Dame, including a 3-0 sweep in Indiana last season.
New Home Sweet Home // The Cardinal enters year one in Stanford Softball Stadium coming off of a 2025 season played in the regular home of Stanford Football. The Card enters at 13-4 at home in 2026.
- While playing at Stanford Stadium the Card went 22-4 and broke the NCAA softball single-game attendance record with 13,207 fans in attendance on April 19 against California.
- Since 2018, Allister's first season at the helm, Stanford owns a 139-55 (.716) record on The Farm.
- Stanford has posted a home winning percentage of .750 or better in five-straight seasons.
- Over the last three seasons, Stanford has gone 85-18 (.825) with only three series losses in the span.
Pitcher of the Week Prytajko // Zoe Prystajko has been electric to start 2026, earning NFCA DI and ACC Pitcher of the Week honors on Tuesday.
- Prystajko leads the ACC in strikeouts (95), strikeouts per 7 IP (10.8) and hits allowed per 7 IP (3.63).
- Additionally, the sophomore leads the Cardinal in IP (61.2), ERA (2.04) and strikeouts (95).
- After entering 2026 with a single-game best of eight strikeouts, the sophomore has topped that mark seven times in 2026.
- The strikeout total (6th) and per-game rate (8th) are both in the top 10 nationally.
- In 2025, Prystajko struck out 5.4 batters per seven innings. In 2026, that rate is exactly double at 10.8.
- Prystajko is second in the ACC in strikeout/walk ratio (5.59) and WHIP (0.79) as well.
Farm Fresh // Addyson Sheppard has made an immediate impact in her first collegiate action, emerging as a strong right-handed bat for the Cardinal.
- Sheppard is second on the team in batting average with a .419 clip.
- The freshman is second on the team in home runs (4), RBI (17) and on base percentage (.478), sitting third in slugging (.677) and OPS (1.178).
- Sheppard earned the first ACC Freshman of the Week award of the season in week one, then earned Co-Freshman of the Week honors in week two.
- Sheppard has picked up a hit in 16 of her first 20 NCAA games, and multiple hits in eight.
Taryn Torching // Taryn Kern has been on a tear to start the season, doing it all for the Card in the leadoff spot.
- Kern has posted a .433/.544/.950 slash line through 20 games, good for a staggering 1.494 OPS, all of which leads the Cardinal.
- Kern's 32nd career home run last week pushed her into a tie for the sixth-most in program history.
- The leadoff hitter leads the team in runs scored with 25, as well as RBI with 24.
- Kern averages 1.20 RBI per game as well as 1.25 runs per game, both of which are in the top 10 in the ACC.
- Including her freshman season at Indiana, Kern's 55 home runs are the third-most in the country among active players.
- The senior earned the first ACC Player of the Week award of the season for her efforts.
Historic Hitters // Seniors River Mahler, Emily Jones and Kyra Chan are all on pace to move into the top 10 in program history for career batting average (min. 200 at bats)
- Mahler leads the trio with a .358 career average, which would place her sixth on the all-time list.
- Chan would sit eighth all-time with a .349 clip.
- Jones' .346 would have her ninth. Taryn Kern is knocking on the door, currently owning a .329 in 395 ABs with Stanford.
Keeping up With Kyra // Chan has been a balanced bat in the Cardinal order, sitting in the top three in a variety of offensive categories.
- Chan is second on the team in OPS (1.165) and slugging percent (.694).
- The senior is third in batting average with a .403 clip, and is just one shy of the team lead for hits with 25.
- Chan has doubled seven times, tripled once and hit three home runs.