Of the nine Pac-12 softball programs, the No. 7 Stanford Cardinal have one of the worst offenses across the board. Stats don’t play games, though. Players do—and the Stanford players looked like a top offense in their 9-0 win in five innings over No. 21 Arizona on Thursday night.
“I thought quite a few of our hitters got better as they went, which is what I wanted to see,” said Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe. “And they wanted way more at-bats than that, and that’s the only thing I’m really upset about right now is that we couldn’t extend it two more innings and they get more at-bats. I just thought they were ready for the challenge and really focused in batting practice today to get ready for the game. We just didn’t execute on the other side of the ball.”
The Cardinal came into the game ranked eighth in the league in team batting average, tied for seventh in runs scored, seventh in runs batted in, seventh (i.e. third-worst) in strikeouts, seventh in on-base percentage, and seventh in slugging percentage. In the third inning, they sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Even if they did nothing else, it was likely going to be more than enough with NiJaree Canaday and her minuscule ERA.
“They’re scrappy hitters and they just play good softball.” Lowe said. “So being able to get people on base and manufacture runs is what they’re good at. And we just have to be able to—one, match that—and play good softball, but be able to make the outs when we get them.”
Miranda Stoddard started the game in the circle for Arizona. She gave up six hits and four earned runs in two innings of work. She ended the day with an ERA of 3.72.
Stoddard gave up a two-out single in the top of the first, but there was no damage done. In the second, she got two quick outs before an error on third baseman Blaise Biringer put a runner on. A bunt for a base hit gave the Cardinal two on with two outs, but Canady came in to hit and grounded out to end the inning.
“I thought we were a little bit on our heels defensively, which is unlike us,” Lowe said. “So just being able to be as aggressive as we were offensively on the other side of the ball. We just let a couple of hits turn into too many runs and extended innings for them, which we didn’t have to do. Against a good team like that every single out matters and and being hungry for those outs mattered.”
The third is when things went sideways. The Cardinal got three runs on four straight hits to start the inning. That ended things for Stoddard. Stoddard was also still responsible for one of the runners on base.
Ali Blanchard came in to relieve Stoddard facing one on with no outs. Blanchard gave up a single—the fifth straight hit for the Cardinal—to put runners on the corners.
In the next at-bat, Emily Jones hit a grounder to second baseman Allie Skaggs. Skaggs appeared to tag the runner going from first to second before throwing on to first base. The umpire ruled that she missed the tag and the call was upheld upon review.
Regardless of whether the runner was out or safe, another run came across the plate to put Stanford up 4-0 and close the book on Stoddard’s day. It didn’t close the book on the inning.
Blanchard gave up one more hit in the inning as well as walking Canady. By the time the third out was secured, the Cardinal led 5-0.
Considering that Canady’s ERA was 0.59 coming into the game, hoping for six runs off her was hoping for a lot. It was much more than Arizona could muster.
The Wildcats started the game with a one-out single by Regan Shockey and a walk to Olivia DiNardo. That gave them a runner in scoring position with one out. With a pitcher like Canaday in the circle, taking advantage of every opportunity is critical, but Arizona couldn’t do it. A foul out and a strikeout ended the inning with Shockey and DiNardo still on base.
Arizona got another chance in the bottom of the fourth. Once again, the Wildcats put runners on first and second with one out. A pop-up and a fielder’s choice ended that.
Stanford tacked two runs on in the fourth inning to go ahead 7-0, sitting on the edge of run-ruling Arizona. They pushed over that edge in the top of the fifth, scoring two more runs off Blanchard to lead 9-0.
The nine runs were the most by the Cardinal since a 10-2 win over San Jose State on Mar. 9. They had only scored nine or more runs twice all season coming into Thursday’s game.
Blanchard gave up five earned runs on six hits and a walk in three IP. Her ERA increased to 5.00.
The Wildcats put a runner in scoring position for just the third time all night in the bottom of the fifth as they tried to stave off the run rule. Kennedy reached on a one-out single. DiNardo moved her into scoring position with a two-out walk. Canady put an end to it all with her seventh strikeout of the night.
The biggest news of the fifth was new Arizona player Krista Martinez getting in to pinch run for DiNardo. The former Salpointe Catholic infielder and teammate of sophomore Logan Cole was added to the roster on Thursday. Lowe said they needed another pinch runner off the bench because she’s been forced to use her pitchers again this year as injuries stacked up.
“Just excited to get her feet wet in this game today,” Lowe said.