STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford showcased its resiliency as a team this season, battling through injuries and adversity throughout the year.
Despite the challenges, the Cardinal (17-37, 2-22 Pac-12) produced a number of highlight moments, defeated five NCAA Tournament teams, recorded single-season top 10 numbers in multiple offensive categories and saw one of the best single-season individual performances in program history by Kayla Bonstrom.
Stanford picked up victories against NCAA Tournament teams No. 3/4 Alabama, No. 24/23 Arizona State, RV/25 Texas, Utah and Weber State.
The Cardinal was strong offensively, finishing the season in the top-10 in program history in walks (T-6th, 198), home runs (8th, 39), triples (8th, 11), slugging percentage (9th, .422) and RBI (10th, 259).
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ALL-AMERICAN PERFORMANCE
• Kayla Bonstrom (international relations) was a force at the plate and led Stanford in every major offensive category throughout the season. She was named a NFCA Second Team All-American, NFCA All-West Region First Team at first base, All-Pac-12 First Team and a Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honorable mention.
• Bonstrom had at least one hit in 40-of-54 games (74 percent) and registered a hit in 23 of her final 34 contests, accumulating 42 hits during that span.
• Bonstrom set the Stanford single-season slugging percentage record at .806 – becoming the first Cardinal player to break the .800 mark. She finished in the top-11 in multiple single-season categories in Stanford history including: batting average (5th, .439), home runs (T-5th, 13), RBI (T-7th, 54), doubles (11th, 16) and fielding percentage (T-2nd, .997). She was solid defensively, committing just one error in 381 chances.
• Bonstrom finished the regular season ranked 41st in the nation in batting average (.439), 24th in on-base percentage (.549) and 39th in slugging percentage (.806). She finished in the top-10 among Pac-12 players in multiple categories, including: on-base percentage (4th, .549), batting average (5th, .439), slugging percentage (5th, .806), doubles (T-5th, 16), hits (T-6th, 68), total bases (T-7th, 125), RBI (10th, 54) and putouts (2nd, 365).
• Bonstrom exceled in the classroom as well and was a Capital One Academic Second Team All-American and All-District Softball Team District 8 selection. 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-PAC-12 CONFERENCE
• Kayla Bonstrom earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors, while Erin Ashby, Kylie Sorenson and Tylyn Wells received honorable mention recognition.
PAC-12 ALL-DEFENSE
• Jessica Plaza earned Pac-12 All-Defense recognition. She registered a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage for the second consecutive season. Plaza is one of two Stanford players all-time to record a perfect fielding percentage.
PAC-12 ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
• Victoria Molina was named a Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honorable mention. She provided one of Stanford’s most dramatic moments of the year when she hit a ninth inning two-run walk-off home run against No. 24/23 Arizona State.
IT’S ALL ACADEMIC
• Stanford softball student-athletes accumulated eight Pac-12 All-Academic honors, including a conference-best five members on the first and second teams. Kayla Bonstrom was named to the first team, while Lauren Bertoy, Bessie Noll, Kaitlin Schaberg and Kylie Sorenson were second-team selections. Erin Ashby, Madi Schreyer and Tylyn Wells each earned honorable mention recognition.
• Stanford softball was one of 19 Cardinal teams to receive a Division I Academic Progress Rate Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA.
STANFORD AWARD WINNERS
• Stanford players voted on awards for teammates and selected Kayla Bonstrom as the Most Valuable Player and Kylie Sorenson as the Defensive Most Valuable Player. Kaitlyn Lagattuta earned the Tough as Nails Award and the Highest Grade Point Average Award.
PLENTY OF FIREPOWER
• Stanford was strong offensively, hitting .277 as a team with 391 hits, 275 runs, 66 doubles, 39 home runs, 11 triples, a .422 slugging percentage and .376 on-base percentage.
• The Cardinal finished the season in the top-10 in program history in walks (T-6th, 198), home runs (8th, 39), triples (8th, 11), slugging percentage (9th, .422) and RBI (10th, 259).
FINISHING STRONG
• Erin Ashby was limited early in the season due to injury but finished the season strong in Pac-12 play. She finished fourth on the team with a .280 batting average and produced the second-most RBIs with 37. Ashby provided plenty of power and was second on the team with a .472 slugging percentage.
• Ashby finished her career ranked 10th in Stanford history in slugging percentage at .479.
ALL IS WELLS
• Tylyn Wells had a terrific season after a strong showing in 2014. She finished third on the team with a .318 batting average, generating 50 hits, 37 runs, 16 RBIs, two triples and a .381 on-base percentage.
• Wells finished her career eighth all-time in Stanford history in stolen bases with 30.
• Wells will attend Santa Clara Law School in the fall where she is interested in studying intellectual property related to sport.
VICTORY MOLINA
• Freshman Victoria Molina hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against No. 24/23 Arizona State to propel Stanford to a dramatic 4-2 victory. Three of her four hits this season were home runs.
ALL HANDS ON DECK
• Stanford’s pitching options were limited throughout the season due to injuries. This led to a “pitching by committee” situation in which Cardinal players who typically do not pitch, spent time in the circle. Infielder Kylie Sorenson and outfielder Tylyn Wells saw 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 had to fill voids in positions they typically do not play. Erin Ashby, normally a second baseman, spent time at first base and pitcher. Arden Pettit, typically a backup catcher, started 10 games at third base. Bessie Noll has made the transition from right field to center field.
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.
TAKING ON THE BEST
• Stanford played host to No. 1/2 Oregon for a three-game series April 18-20 and hung tight with the Ducks through each game. 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 against Oregon 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.
PAC-12 WRAPUP
• Stanford finished ninth in the notoriously difficult Pac-12 with a 2-22 record. Oregon claimed the conference title for the third consecutive year with a 21-3 mark. UCLA finished second at 19-5, followed by Arizona (13-11), Utah (12-11), Arizona State (12-11), Washington (11-11), California (10-14), Oregon State (6-18) and Stanford.