Stanford (16-29, 1-14 Pac-12)
No. 19/16 Arizona (34-12, 9-6 Pac-12)
Fri. – 6 p.m. (PT) • Sat. – 6 p.m. • Sun. – Noon
Hillenbrand Stadium • Tucson, Ariz.
Live Stream | Live Stats • Via GoStanford.com
Social • Facebook.com/StanfordSBall • Twitter.com/StanfordSBall • Instagram.com/StanfordSoftball
STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford leaves California for the final time this season this weekend when it travels to No. 19/16 Arizona for a three-game series.
The Cardinal (16-29, 1-14 Pac-12) begins the series Friday at 6 p.m. (PT). The series continues Saturday at 6 p.m. and concludes Sunday at Noon. All three games will be streamed online.
Stanford continued Pac-12 play last weekend, going 0-3 against No. 1/2 Oregon. The Cardinal kept pace with the Ducks in all three games but could not quite get over the hump to complete the upset.
Oregon outscored Stanford 23-15 over the three games, a run differential of eight – the second-lowest of the six Pac-12 series the top-ranked Ducks have completed this season. Oregon entered the series outscoring opponents in three-game series by an average of 16.2 runs.
Stanford’s 15 runs produced this past weekend is the second-most of any Pac-12 team against the Ducks this season. Only Washington scored more against Oregon, registering 16 during its three-game set.
Bessie Noll led Stanford at the plate, hitting .556 (5-for-9) with three runs, two walks and a double. Kylie Sorenson and Kayla Bonstrom continued to provide regular contributions at the plate, both going 4-for-10 (.400). Sorenson registered a slugging percentage of .700 thanks in part to three doubles. Erin Ashby tallied two hits in the series and made them count, launching a grand slam and a two-run double to record a team-high seven RBIs.
Stanford’s pitching staff – comprised solely of position players due to injuries to starting pitchers – impressed throughout the weekend, limiting Oregon’s offense and keeping the Cardinal within striking distance.
Ashby held a 3.11 ERA, permitting seven runs – four earned – on 13 hits and five walks with five strikeouts in 9.0 innings. Sorenson also contributed significant innings, allowing nine runs on 16 hits and five walks with one strikeout in 8.2 innings.
Game times, live statistics and results are available via GoStanford.com.
--
THE ARIZONA SERIES
• Stanford is 10-60-1 all-time against Arizona and went 0-3 against the Wildcats in last year’s series. The Cardinal fell to Arizona 18-12 in the first game and 12-3 in five innings in the second contest. The series concluded with a 5-3 loss in eight innings.
UP NEXT
• Stanford concludes its home schedule with a three-game series against No. 23/22 Arizona State May 1-3.
PLENTY OF FIREPOWER
• Stanford has been strong offensively, hitting .285 as a team with 342 hits, 252 runs, 57 doubles, 30 home runs, 11 triples, a .426 slugging percentage and .387 on-base percentage.
• The Cardinal had one of its most prolific offensive seasons in program history in 2014 and carries a majority of the core 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 .440 with a .784 slugging percentage. She leads the team in hits (59), home runs (10), doubles (14), RBIs (46), runs (39) and on-base percentage (.542).
• Bonstrom has at least one hit in 34-of-45 games (76 percent) and has registered a hit in 17 of the past 25 contests, accumulating 33 hits during that span. She enters the Arizona series on a four-game hitting-streak, notching five hits during that span.
• She was recently selected to the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) Interschool 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
• Stanford’s pitching options have been limited due to injuries. This has led to a “pitching by committee” situation in which Cardinal players who typically do not pitch, have spent time in the circle. Infielder Kylie Sorenson and outfielder Tylyn Wells have each seen significant innings at pitcher. Kayla Bonstrom, Erin Ashby and Kaitlyn Lagattuta each made their season debuts at pitcher against UCLA.
FILLING A VOID
• With position players pitching, Stanford field players have had to fill voids in positions they typically do not play. Erin Ashby, normally a second baseman, has spent time at first base and pitcher. Arden Pettit, typically a backup catcher, started the final two games of the Oregon series at third base. Bessie Noll has made the transition from right field to center field.
COMING ON STRONG
• Erin Ashby was limited early in the season due to injury but has come on strong in recent weeks. She is second on the team with a .313 batting average and has produced the second-most RBIs with 35. Ashby has provided plenty of power and is second on the team with a .495 slugging percentage.
ALL IS WELLS
• Tylyn Wells is having a terrific season after a strong showing in 2014. She is third on the team with a .296 batting average, generating 40 hits, 31 runs, 16 RBIs, two triples and a .362 on-base percentage. She has at least one hit in 13 of the past 22 games, producing 18 hits during that span.
• Wells is working on preparing applications for law school where she is interested in studying intellectual property related to sport.
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 ARIZONA
• Arizona enters the weekend with a 34-12 record and 9-6 mark in conference play. The Wildcats dropped two of three games last weekend at Utah.
• Arizona boasts a balanced lineup with 11 regular players hitting over .303. Kellie Fox leads the Wildcats offensively with a .404 batting average, producing 57 hits, 52 RBIs, 46 runs, 11 home runs, eight doubles, three doubles and .738 slugging percentage.
• Michelle Floyd (17-7) has logged a majority of the time in the circle and holds a 3.26 ERA, permitting 82 runs on 128 hits and 38 walks with 70 strikeouts in 144.0 innings. Trish Parks (13-5) has also spent significant time at pitcher, holding a 4.23 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 94.1 innings.