Stanford Clips Cal, 3-1

STANFORD - In the rubber match of the 2021 Battle Of The Bay, The California softball team fell to Stanford, 3-1, Wednesday afternoon from Smith Family Stadium.

The Golden Bears fell to 16-15 on the year. Wednesday's contest counted as a non-conference game. 

Stanford scored all of its runs in the second inning. A one-out double to left plated two runners to put the Cardinal up, 2-0. Stanford added one more later in the inning on a single to make it a three-run second. 

Cal tallied its lone run in the sixth inning. After Makena Smith walked and later moved over to second, she scored on a throwing error by the Stanford shortstop to cut the Cardinal lead down to 3-1. 

In the top of the fifth, Lauren Espalin led off the inning with a double. After Amani Bradley came in as a pinch runner, Tatum Anzaldo moved her over to third with a fly out to right. Kennedy Thomas walked to put runners at the corners, but Stanford ended the rally before the Bears could plate any runners. 

After the three-run second inning, Sona Halajian quieted the Stanford bats. She went five and two-thirds innings, collecting five strikeouts with six hits and two walks. 

In addition to Espalin's double, Smith, Anzaldo and Thomas each singled. 

The Bears now head to Southern California for a doubleheader at Long Beach State on Saturday, May 8, starting at noon.