Doubleheader Sweep
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Stanford softball swept a doubleheader at Sacramento State, winning 4-2 and 5-0, Tuesday at Shea Stadium.
The wins improve the Cardinal to 29-12 on the season.
Game One Recap
Four unearned runs and a gem from Alana Vawter in the circle gave Stanford the 4-2 victory in the first game of the doubleheader.
Kaitlyn Lim opened the game by manufacturing a run thanks to a lone hit in the top of the second inning. She dropped a bunt for a single, stole second and advanced to third on an error by Sacramento State's shortstop, and later scored on a wild pitch for the unearned run to give the Cardinal an early lead.
Vawter was perfect through three innings, striking out five in her first time through the order. She ended the day with eight strikeouts – tying her season high – to pick up her 18th win of the year.
Sacramento State led off the bottom of the fourth with a single that went right over Vawter's head, but the runner was thrown out trying to steal second during the next at-bat. The Hornets nabbed a second hit in the inning, but they failed to put a runner in scoring position.
A second unearned run pushed Stanford's lead to 2-0 in the top of the fifth. Kylie Chung lifted a stand-up double that was feet away from going over the left field fence to put a runner in scoring position – paving the way for Hannah Matteson to come on as a pinch runner. Matteson advanced to third on a second Sacramento State error and scored on a sacrifice fly from Taylor Gindlesperger.
Stanford added a pair of runs in the top of the sixth for a 4-0 lead. With two outs and runners on second and third, Vawter came on to bat and reached first safely on a throwing error by the shortstop.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Cardinal allowed two runs, but escaped a jam to limit Sacramento State's chance at tying the game. A solo home run put the Hornets on the board, followed by a single and a double to put two runners in scoring position.
An RBI groundout brought the runner in from third, but Stanford's defense was able to maintain its composure to get the final out. The Hornets went three and out in the seventh inning to end the game.
Game Two Recap
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Cardinal scored in the first and third innings for the 5-0 victory.
Errors again proved costly for Sacramento State to open the second game of the doubleheader, and the Cardinal were there to capitalize for another unearned run. Gindlesperger advanced to third when Sydnee Huff reached on a fielding error, and she scored on a sacrifice fly from Lim for the game's opening run.
A bases-clearing triple from Lim blew the game open for the Cardinal in the top of the third. Back-to-back-to-back singles from the top of the order loaded the bases, and Lim's shot to left center brought all three runners home for a 4-0 lead. Lim would score the final run on a single to left field from Schultz.
Lim batted in three runs on the day, while Gindlesperger and Huff both had two hits.
Regan Krause retired the first 11 batters she faced before allowing a single in the bottom of the fourth inning. The sophomore allowed one hit on the afternoon while striking out three to zero walks.
Stanford returns to action this weekend with a home series against No. 10/13 Arizona State, April 22-24.