Stanford (16-19, 1-5 Pac-12)
No. 20/19 Washington (31-9, 3-5 Pac-12)
Thur. – 5 p.m. (PT) • Fri. – 5 p.m. • Sat. – 2 p.m.
Husky Softball Stadium – Seattle, Wash.
Television • Pac-12 Networks
Live Stats • Provided via GoStanford.com
Social • Facebook.com/StanfordSBall • Twitter.com/StanfordSBall • Instagram.com/StanfordSoftball
STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford continues a stretch of competition that includes eight games in 12 days as Pac-12 play resumes this weekend with a three-game series at Washington.
The Cardinal (16-19, 1-5 Pac-12) begins the series Thursday at 5 p.m. (PT). The series continues Friday at 5 p.m. and concludes Saturday at 2 p.m. All three games will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
Stanford played its first home Pac-12 series of the season last weekend going 1-2 against Utah. The Cardinal dropped the first game 6-3 but responded with a 4-2 victory in the second meeting. The Utes took the finale 7-2.
Stanford played a midweek game at Pacific on Tuesday, picking up a 9-7 victory. Kayla Bonstrom went 3-for-3 with a grand slam, six RBIs and two doubles. Kylie Sorenson pitched her second complete game in four days, limiting Pacific to seven runs – three earned – on 10 hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Sorenson matched her career high of 7.0 innings pitched, which she set in the second game against Utah.
Erin Ashby led Stanford offensively against Utah, hitting .429 (3-for-7) with four RBIs, two doubles and a walk. Kayla Bonstrom went 2-for-6 (.333) with three RBIs, a home run, two runs, two walks and a .833 slugging percentage. Cassandra Roulund (.333) and Tylyn Wells (.300) also made regular contributions at the plate.
Sorenson shouldered a majority of the load in the circle during the Utah series, limiting the Utes to four runs on 13 hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 11.0 innings. She threw a complete game in the second game of the series and logged 4.0 innings of relief in the finale.
Game times, live statistics and results are available via GoStanford.com.
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THE WASHINGTON SERIES
• Stanford is 28-39 all-time against Washington and went 1-2 against the Huskies in last year’s series. The Cardinal dropped last year’s season opener 7-0 but responded with a 13-5 result in six innings in the second contest. Stanford dropped the finale 11-2 in five innings.
UP NEXT
• Stanford travels to San Jose State on Tuesday before playing host to No. 10/9 UCLA beginning on Friday at 7 p.m. (PT).
PLENTY OF FIREPOWER
• Stanford has been strong offensively, hitting .293 as a team with 278 hits, 207 runs, 49 doubles, 23 home runs, 11 triples, a .441 slugging percentage and .393 on-base percentage.
• The Cardinal had one of its most prolific offensive seasons in program history in 2014 and returns all 10 starters for the 2015 season. The team ranked in the top 10 all-time in single-season records in RBI (1st, 302), batting average (2nd, .316), slugging percentage (2nd, .456), runs (2nd, 331), doubles (3rd, 88), triples (3rd, 17), walks (3rd, 205), hits (6th, 470) and stolen bases (10th, 55).
BON FIRE
• Kayla Bonstrom (international relations) has been a force at the plate, hitting a team-high .476 with a .905 slugging percentage. She leads the team in hits (50), home runs (10), doubles (13), RBIs (42), runs (32), slugging percentage (.905) and on-base percentage (.569).
• Bonstrom has at least one hit in 28-of-35 games and has registered a hit in 11 of the past 15 contests, accumulating 24 hits during that span.
• She was recently selected to the Center for International Security and Cooperation Interschool (CISCI) Honors Program in International Security Studies to develop a senior thesis with the federal government related to national security. She’s interested in working in national security upon graduation.
ALL HANDS ON DECK
• While Haley Snyder has been carrying a majority of the load in the circle, Stanford’s pitching options have been limited due to injuries. This has led to a “pitching by committee” situation in which two Cardinal players that typically do not pitch, have spent time in the circle. Infielder Kylie Sorenson and outfielder Wells have each seen significant innings at pitcher.
WINTER’S HOT CORNER
• Hanna Winter has been strong defensively this season at third base, leading the team with 97 assists and making multiple highlight-worthy reaction plays to halt opposing teams’ offenses. She has started every game of her collegiate career, spanning 209 games, at second base, third base or shortstop.
• Winter is second on the team with a .349 batting average, producing 37 hits, 25 runs, 13 RBIs, two triples and a .430 on-base percentage. She led Stanford in hits her freshman (89) and sophomore (72) years, and was second on the team as a junior (59).
• Winter has at least one hit in nine of the past 11 games, accumulating 14 hits during the span.
• Winter secured a summer internship with Pixar this coming summer as a software engineer. She will be working on a team that helps improve the software the Pixar artists use. She will return to Stanford next fall to pursue her masters in computer science.
ALL IS WELLS
• Tylyn Wells is having a terrific season after a strong showing in 2014. She is third on the team with a .336 batting average, generating 36 hits, 26 runs, 14 RBIs, two triples and a .379 on-base percentage. She has at least one hit in nine of the past 12 games, producing 14 hits during that span.
• Wells is working on preparing applications for law school where she is interested in studying intellectual property related to sport.
QUICK FEET
• Stanford has been electric on the base paths this year, stealing 20 bases in 23 attempts (87 percent). Hanna Winter (computer science) is 9-for-10, while Tylyn Wells (political science) has swiped six bags in eight tries. Cassandra Roulund (communication) and Leah White (human biology) have two stolen bases apiece.
PETTIT GOES RED, WHITE AND BLUE
• Freshman Arden Pettit was one of 22 athletes to receive an invitation to try out for the 2015 USA Softball Junior Women’s (19-Under) National Team. She was named an alternate to the team at the conclusion of the camp.
WALKED OFF BY WEATHER
• Stanford is 0-1 in games shortened due to weather this year, falling 5-3 in the series finale at Oregon State on March 23. The Cardinal took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning but the Beavers rallied for four runs to take a 5-3 lead. The umpires called the game immediately following Oregon State’s go-ahead hit.
SCOUTING WASHINGTON
• Washington enters the weekend with a 31-9 record and 3-5 mark in conference play. The Huskies went 1-2 last weekend against Oregon, getting run-ruled in the first and third games of the series but run-ruling the Ducks in the second contest.
• Ali Aguilar leads Washington offensively with a .420 batting average, producing 55 hits, 37 RBIs, 19 doubles, eight home runs, a .763 slugging percentage and .516 on-base percentage. Kylee Lahners has provided plenty of power with a team-best 10 home runs and .796 slugging percentage to go along with a .417 batting average.
• Kasey Stanchek (11-4) has seen a majority of innings in the circle and holds a 3.75 ERA with 67 strikeouts and 46 walks in 104.2 innings. Casey Stangel (7-3) and Hailey Bator (9-2) have also seen significant time at pitcher and hold ERAs of 2.53 and 3.94, respectively.
2014 SEASON IN REVIEW
• Stanford finished the 2014 season 30-25 overall, marking the 18th consecutive year Stanford recorded a winning record. Despite the continued success, the Cardinal was not selected to the 64-team NCAA Tournament field for the first time in 17 years.
• Leah White and Erin Ashby (communication) earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-West Region honors. White was selected as an outfielder to the second team, while Ashby received third team recognition at second base. It is the third consecutive second-team honor for White and the first for Ashby.
• Kylie Sorenson and White received All-Pac-12 Second Team honors, while Kayla Bonstrom, Jessica Plaza (human biology), Madi Schreyer and Hanna Winter earned honorable mention recognition.
• Plaza became the second Stanford player in program history to register a perfect fielding percentage of 1.000 with a minimum of 100 chances. She joins Elizabeth Bendig (’05) atop the all-time Cardinal list.
• Winter earned the second Pac-12 All-Academic honor of her career, claiming first team honors with a 3.55 GPA as a computer science major. Bonstrom and Cassandra Roulund were selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team. It is the first award for Bonstrom and the second for Roulund. Corey Hanewich, Katlin Schaberg and Tylyn Wells each received Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable mention awards.