STILLWATER, Okla. – No. 14 Stanford is headed to an NCAA Regional final for the fifth-straight season, splitting a pair of games on day two at the Stillwater Regional today. The Cardinal dropped the first game of the day to hosting No. 15 Oklahoma State, then won an elimination game against Princeton to advance.
The Cowgirls struck first in the opening game, with a solo home run in the first followed by a three-run blast in the third to make it a 4-0 lead.
Oklahoma State threatened again in the fourth, when Prystajko surrendered a leadoff single and the runner stole second base. The sophomore pitcher rallied for three-straight outs to strand the runner at third.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Cowgirls hit another three-run homer to make it a 7-0 game.
Stanford ended the game with some momentum, breaking up the shutout on a two-run homer from Kyra Chan to make it 7-2.
The momentum did in fact carry over – the Card jumped out to a fast start in the second game of the day. Facing Princeton in an elimination game, Stanford opened up the contest with three-straight hits to go ahead early.
Kern led off with a double, moving to third on an Emily Jones bunt single and scoring on an RBI knock from Ava Gall.
The first out of the game was a productive one, with Jade Berry bringing in a run on a sacrifice fly. Kyra Chan singled in another run on the next at bat to make it a 3-0 lead with just one out in the game.
Sydney Boulaphinh brought in two more with a double off the wall, making it a 5-0 Stanford lead before Anna Brewer started in the circle.
Kern led off the second with an extra-base hit as well, tripling this time to get herself into scoring position. Emily Jones brought her home in the next at-bat, driving in the sixth run of the day with a sacrifice fly.
Princeton got on the scoreboard in the home half of the second, hitting solo and three-run home runs to make it a 6-4 game. Already boasting two runs and five total bases, Kern made an impact with her glove in the inning as well. The senior made a diving grab on a liner to first, tagging the base on her way to the ground to double up the runner and get Stanford out of the inning.
The Cardinal struck for another big inning in the top of the fourth to extend the lead. Berry doubled in a run, then Chan doubled in two more to make it 9-4. Boulaphinh brought in the fourth run of the inning with an RBI groundout to give the Card 10 runs in the game.
Princeton scored in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 10-5 game, but Emily Jones gunned a runner down at home plate to get the Cardinal out of the inning.
The Cardinal added more in the top of the sixth, when Chan went yard for her third hit of the game. The solo shot was her seventh of the season and second of the day to make it an 11-5 lead. Chan moved to 4-for-7 with six RBI, a double and two homers combined in today’s two games.
The sixth inning saw Ava Bulanti exit the game in the circle, after a career outing in relief. The freshman set career highs with 4.2 innings pitched and 66 total pitches. Bulanti allowed just one earned run, earning the win.
Stanford added two more in the top of the seventh, with Addyson Sheppard doubling in a run. Jones singled in the 13th run of the game two batters later, making it a 13-5 game.
Alyssa Houston closed the game out with a perfect inning and a third.
Stanford advances to tomorrow’s Stillwater Regional Final, and will play Oklahoma State with an opportunity to send the team to a fourth Super Regional in the last five years. First pitch tomorrow is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. PT, with the Card needing to beat the Cowgirls twice.
POSTGAME NOTES:
- Stanford has scored seven or more runs in 29 of the team’s 52 games this season.
- The Card moves to 51-31 all-time in NCAA Regional competition, and 65-52 in the postseason.
- Stanford advances to an NCAA Regional final for the fifth-straight season, and has a chance tomorrow to advance to the program’s fourth Super Regional in the last five years.
- Senior Taryn Kern’s two runs against Princeton give her 176, moving out of a tie and into sole possession of the second-most in program history.
- Kern’s 69 runs in 2026 are just one shy of the most in a season in program history.
- Junior Jade Berry’s two RBI give her 145 in her career, just one-shy of the ninth-most in program history.
- Senior Kyra Chan hit a pair of home runs today, giving her seven on the season and 18 in her career.
- Freshman Ava Bulanti earned the win in the circle against Princeton, allowing just one run in 4.2 innings of work.
- Bulanti’s 4.2 IP and 66 pitches were both career highs.