STANFORD, Calif. – No. 24 Stanford split day three of the Cardinal Classic II, rallying from an early deficit to take down No. 21 Washington before dropping a 5-1 decision to Saint Mary’s. The two results put Stanford at 22-11 on the season.
Washington struck for a pair of runs in the first inning, only one of which was earned. The Huskies added another pair of runs in the second to go ahead 4-0.
After managing just one hit through the first two innings, the Cardinal broke through in the bottom of the third. Addyson Sheppard and Sydney Boulaphinh opened the frame with back-to-back solo home runs to cut the lead in half. Taryn Kern, who hit two home runs of her own yesterday, followed the long balls with a hit-by-pitch to chase Washington’s starter from the game.
The Cardinal pushed three more runs across in the inning, the first coming on an RBI single from Chan. Then Emily Jones slid into home on a throwing error at the plate for an unearned run to tie it. Joie Economides drove in the fifth run of the inning on an RBI groundout to give Stanford a 5-4 lead.
Ava Bulanti followed up the outburst with a shutdown inning in the fourth. The freshman took over for the circle for Anna Brewer in the second inning, and tossed 2.2 scoreless innings before exiting after retiring the leadoff batter in the top of the fifth. Her final line featured just three hits allowed, striking out two and issuing no walks.
The strong relief outing earned Bulanti her first career win.
The Huskies threatened after Bulanti exited the game. Zoe Prystajko entered the game and struck out the first batters she faced, but put two on via a hit-by-pitch and a walk. Alyssa Houston came in in relief of Prystajko, walking a batter to load the bases with two away.
Houston set down a pinch hitter on strikes to get the Cardinal out of a jam and keep the 5-4 lead.
Stanford’s bats kept going in the home half of the inning, adding two more on another home run. This time it was Izzy Cacatian going yard, making it 7-4 with a two-run shot.
Mahler brought in another run in the bottom of the sixth to make it an 8-4 lead. Houston allowed the first two batters of the seventh to reach base, but went on to retire the next three batters and earn her team-leading fourth save of the season.
After the first two innings, the Cardinal trailed 4-0 and was outhit 7-1. In the final five innings, Stanford posted eight unanswered runs on eight hits, and held the Huskies to just four hits.
In the second game of the day, Saint Mary’s jumped out to an early lead. The Gaels scored a run in the first, three in the third and one in the fourth before to go ahead 5-0.
Stanford got on the board in the fifth inning, when Jade Berry brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1.
Bulanti continued her sharp day with another strong outing. The freshman tossed a scoreless final 3.2 innings of the game, allowing just one hit and striking out three.
Bulanti finished the day with 6.1 scoreless innings across two games, allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out four.
Stanford is off tomorrow before a busy week. The Card plays at UC Davis on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. PT, before hosting No. 6 Florida State for a three-game series beginning Friday. Friday’s game against the Seminoles will start at 6:00 p.m. PT, and will be broadcast on ESPN2. Saturday’s tilt, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT, will be broadcast on ESPN.
Tickets for all three games are still available at Tickets.GoStanford.com.
POSTGAME NOTES:
- Stanford’s eight runs against Washington marked the 20th game this season with seven or more runs scored.
- Freshman Ava Bulanti earned her first career win in the day’s first game against Washington.
- Junior Alyssa Houston earned her team-leading fourth save of the season in the win over Washington.
- Freshman Addyson Sheppard hit her seventh home run of the season against Washington, the second-most on the team.
- Sophomore Sydney Boulaphinh’s home run was her first of the season and seventh of her career.
- Freshman Izzy Cacatian’s home run was her second of the season.
- Bulanti finished the day with 6.1 scoreless innings of work.