After struggling all season, Stanford (13-35, 0-24 Pac-12) softball mercifully closed out its season this past weekend as it dropped a three-game series to No. 13/14 Washington (36-13, 16-8), losing each game by at least three runs.
The team’s three seniors put in a strong effort on Sunday’s Senior Day, but their combined four runs were not enough to best the Huskies, who plated five in the fifth inning alone in their 10-5 victory over the Cardinal.
Washington set the tone for the series in Thursday’s opener, scoring five runs in the second inning and causing sophomore starter Hayley Snyder to be pulled in favor of freshman Carolyn Lee after just 1.2 innings of work.
For the most part, Lee was able to hold it together, giving up just one run in the fourth inning. However, she received no run support, and after relinquishing three more runs in the top of the sixth, the game was called via run rule for a final score of 9-0. The Cardinal’s sole hit came off the bat of senior Kayla Bonstrom.
The Cardinal’s prospects were not much brighter on Friday, and the bats were once again quieted as the team mustered just two runs on four hits. Lee got the start in the circle but gave up five runs on nine hits in 4.0 innings.
Snyder pitched 3.0 scoreless innings in relief, but the Stanford offense could not produce. The team had no trouble getting on base – in fact, the leadoff batter reached base in all but the fourth inning – but the overall limited offensive production kept runners from crossing the plate.
Catcher Jessica Plaza led the charge on Sunday — her final game in cardinal and white. The senior recorded a career-high four RBIs, including a third-inning three-run home run that plated fellow seniors Bonstrom and Kaitlin Schaberg.
Bonstrom finished out her career on an eight-game hitting streak after singling in the third inning, while Schaberg recorded two walks. Stanford led after four, but the Huskies roared back in the top of the fifth, scoring five runs off of Lee before tacking on another three runs in the top of the sixth.
The Cardinal could not rebound and ended their season with a 10-5 loss and without a single conference victory.
Contact Olivia Hummer at ohummer ‘at’ stanford.edu.