CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 19 Stanford opened up the weekend’s series at North Carolina with a commanding win, topping the Tar Heels 9-2 to move to 16-8 on the season and 6-4 in ACC play. The Cardinal slugged nine extra-base hits in the win, including four home runs.
The Cardinal got scoring in a hurry, plating a pair in the first inning. Taryn Kern led off with a double, then moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt from Emily Jones. Kyra Chan walked and stole second, putting two runners in scoring position for Jade Berry.
The junior doubled, bringing in two for her 18th and 19th RBI of the season.
North Carolina scored in the bottom of the first, but Stanford was able to quickly answer in a big way. Joie Economides and Ava Gall led off the inning with back-to-back solo home runs, then Taryn Kern added her own solo shot to make it a 5-1 lead.
Berry added another RBI double in the inning to make it a four-run inning, giving the Card a 6-1 lead.
The Tar Heels scored another in the bottom of the second on a solo home run to make it a 6-2 game.
In the third inning, Zoe Prystajko entered in relief for starter Anna Brewer. Prystajko tossed a pair of perfect innings in relief, then batted for herself in the top of the fifth. In just her second at-bat of the season, Prystajko drove one off the wall in right field for a double.
The Stanford bats were quiet until the seventh inning, when the Card put up three runs to extend the lead. After a triple from Jones, Chan singled to bring her home. Then Berry put an exclamation point on the inning, homering to make it a 9-2 game.
The two-run shot from Berry gave her five RBI on the day, more than half of the Cardinal runs.
Prystajko closed it out in the seventh, finishing the day with 4.2 hitless innings – striking out seven and walking just one.
The Cardinal and Tar Heels go again tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for 10:00 a.m. PT, and can be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
POSTGAME NOTES:
- The Cardinal’s nine runs tonight make 14 games this season with seven or more runs scored.
- Joie Economides and Ava Gall hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning, the first time this season the Cardinal hit two-straight homers.
- The last time Stanford went back-to-back was May 17 of last season, when River Mahler and Jade Berry did it.
- Taryn Kern’s home run in the second gave Stanford three in the inning for the first time since April of last season.
- Kern’s home run was her eighth of the season and 34th of her career, moving her into a tie for the fifth-most in Stanford history.
- Zoe Prystajko doubled in just her second at-bat of the season.
- Prystajko’s seven strikeouts give her 10 games this season with seven or more strikeouts.