After playing nearly flawless softball to sweep Utah over the weekend, No. 16 Stanford (32-17, 9-9 Pac-12) was unable to maintain its momentum, dropping its third straight non-conference game on Wednesday evening to UC-Davis (22-24, 8-10 Big West).
In a game that could have important postseason ramifications for the Cardinal as it seeks to host a regional in the NCAA Tournament, Stanford failed to close out the Aggies. The Card yielded three runs after taking a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning to fall 5-4 in walk-off fashion.
Kayla Bonstrom had a strong day at the plate for the Cardinal, going 3-for-4 while driving in two RBI. The freshman gave Stanford a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a single down the right-field line. Bonstrom subsequently plated a seemingly decisive run in the top of the seventh when she sent a 3-1 pitch into centerfield for a big RBI single, giving the Card a two-run lead.
Teagan Gerhart took the loss in the circle for Stanford, falling to 18-9 on the season. Although Gerhart managed to go the distance for the Cardinal, she gave up five earned runs on seven hits.
Stanford will next travel to Berkeley for a weekend series against its rival, No. 13 California (35-12, 9-9 Pac-12). First pitch Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m.