After reaching Super Regionals in 2022 for the first time in 11 years, Stanford softball is continuing its ascension under head coach Jessica Allister.

The Cardinal is currently riding the nation's longest active winning streak — 20 games — and has recorded eight straight shutouts as it heads to Eugene for a three-game series at No. 20 Oregon. The month-long hot streak, which includes three wins over ranked teams, has vaulted Stanford (22-2) to No. 7 in the NFCA Coaches Poll, its highest ranking since May 12, 2009.

That is a far cry from 2018 when Allister, a Stanford alumna, inherited a program that only won two Pac-12 games the year before.

What's behind their success?

Prolific pitching

Just like last season, Alana Vawter and Regan Krause have been stellar in the circle. Vawter, a senior leader, boasts a career-best 0.95 ERA while Krause has a compiled a 2.17 ERA and pitched a perfect game against Nevada.

Meanwhile, freshman NiJaree Canady has exploded onto the scene as one of only two pitchers in the country to log more than 40 innings without surrendering a single run. She has stretched her scoreless streak to 48 innings to begin her career, quickly cementing herself as one of the top hurlers in the country and Stanford's staff among the nation's elite.

"They're all very different from each other, which really helps as far as being able to show offenses different looks," Allister said.

For Canady, it's a relentless riseball. She has only allowed 11 hits and nine walks while fanning 89 batters. Her stunning strikeout rate — 12.98 Ks per seven innings — is the best in the Pac-12 and second-best in the country.

The two-time Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year has already tossed a pair of no-hitters, including an 18-strikeout masterclass against Villanova, an NCAA Tournament team the last two seasons.

"She's a dynamic pitcher that has control, movement and velocity and has just been very calm, competitive and fearless for us in the circle," Allister said. "We thought she was going to be something special when we were recruiting her and I've just been really impressed with the work she's put together."

Allister credited Vawter and Krause for expediting Canady's success, lauding them for being "mentors" and "sounding boards" for the freshman phenom.

She also heaped praise on pitching coach Tori Nyberg, who has accompanied Allister through every step of the rebuild. Teammates at Stanford in the early 2000s, they take immense pride in restoring the program to the national title contender it was during their playing days.

"When you look at the progress of our pitchers throughout their careers — from Carolyn Lee to Maddy Dwyer — there's a reason we consistently have great pitching and it's because I truly believe that Tori is the best pitching coach in the country," Allister said. "The care that she puts into those student-athletes, and her skillset of developing them, is exceptional."

The proof is in the numbers. Stanford has posted 15 shutouts in 24 games, tied for the most in the country. Its 1.11 ERA leads the Pac-12 by a wide margin and is fourth-best in the nation.

Dazzling defense

Stanford pitchers can step into the circle with confidence knowing they have one of the best defenses in the country behind them. The Cardinal has committed just nine errors this season, posting the second-highest fielding percentage (.986) in college softball, just a few decimal points behind the reigning national champion Oklahoma Sooners.

As it turns out, experience matters. Allister pointed to fifth-years like shortstop Emily Young, first baseman Emily Schultz and centerfielder Taylor Gindlesperger for providing steady hands across the diamond.

"We're competitive and confident," Allister said. "I think we believe in ourselves and believe in our teammates, which is a huge step one. Every time we step on the field, we've been very consistent. I think our approach has been exceptional."

Freshmen fortifying the offense

Canady isn't the only freshman making an impact on The Farm. Second baseman River Mahler and third baseman Emily Jones have given Stanford's offense a jolt it needed. Mahler leads the Cardinal in hits (34) and batting average (.447) while driving in 13 runs. Jones is hitting .333 with 12 RBI.

Allister has long believed this freshman class, which ranked top-10 nationally, would help Stanford take the next step as a Women's College World Series team. So far, that vision is coming to fruition.

The Cardinal offense still ranks in the bottom half of the Pac-12 in most statistical categories and dead last in homers, but Allister said it is "significantly better" this season. It certainly seems to be trending upward. Stanford has scored six or more runs in five straight games, including an 11-0 win at then-No. 23 Wichita State.

"Our numbers might be similar, but it's against drastically different competition," Allister noted. "When you look at the preseason schedule that we've put together, we played a really, really, really hard preseason schedule and that was on purpose. I thought we were going to have a roster that had a chance to do special things, and I wanted to make sure that we had this strict schedule in place so that if we took care of business, we would be considered for hosting one, maybe two rounds (of the NCAA Tournament) at the end of the year."

Stanford hosted Super Regionals last season, but lost to Oregon State to fall short of its first trip to the WCWS since 2004, Allister's senior season.

It’s hard to imagine anyone taking a series against this year’s Cardinal. Not at Smith Family Stadium, where the tall walls and deep dimensions play right into Stanford's strengths.

"Offense is tricky, I don't care what level you're at," Allister said. "But when you can consistently get exceptional pitching and great defense, you put yourself in a position to win a lot of games. And we're getting those two things everyday."