Courtesy: Stanford Athletics
Stanford (13-29, 0-18 Pac-12)
Arizona State (27-22, 3-15 Pac-12)
Fri. • 7 p.m. | Sat. • 12 p.m. | Sun. • 2 p.m.
Television • Pac-12 Network
Live Statistics • Via GoStanford.com
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STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford makes its final road trip of the season when it takes on Arizona State this weekend.
The series begins Friday at 7 p.m. (PT) and the game will streamed online. The series continues Saturday at 12 p.m. and concludes Sunday at 2 p.m. The final two games will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.
The Cardinal (13-29, 0-18 Pac-12) is coming off a competitive weekend against California, despite dropping all three decisions. All three games were close through the first six innings. The Bears posted big seventh innings on Friday and Sunday to earn comfortable victories.
Haley Snyder (7-11) had pitched a gem on Saturday night, holding Cal's offense to one run on five hits and four walks with five strikeouts. She came up big in crucial moments with runners in scoring position to help keep the Cardinal within striking distance throughout the game.
Stanford had trouble offensively throughout the weekend but broke through in the third game. Kayla Bonstrom paced the team with a .333 average (3-for-9) with a home run, a double and a .778 slugging percentage over the three games. Kaitlin Schaberg (3-for-6) and Molly Fowkes (2-for-6) also had nice showings at the plate.
Highlights from Stanford's finale against California.
THE ARIZONA STATE SERIES
• Stanford is 26-42 all-time against Arizona State and went 1-2 last season. The Cardinal lost the first two games of last year's series but concluded the weekend with a thrilling 4-2 victory in extra innings. Stanford erased a two-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the game to extras where Victoria Molina hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning for the walk-off win.
Victoria Molina hit a walk-off home run in last year's finale against Arizona State.
NINE SIGN NATIONAL LETTERS OF INTENT
• Stanford has nine incoming freshmen during the fall of 2016. All have signed NLIs – six in the fall and three in the spring. Incoming freshmen include: Nicole Bauer, Teaghan Cowles, Kayler Detmer, Montana Dixon, Alyssa Horeczko, Hannah Howell, Kristina Inouye, Maya Jackson and Kiana Pancino.
MENDOZA NAMED ALL-CENTURY
• Mendoza is one of 30 softball players selected to the All-Century Team. She is one of the most accomplished Stanford softball players in program history and has had an impact on sports beyond the softball field. Mendoza was a four-time All-American at Stanford, a starting outfielder for the U.S. National Team from 2004-10 and won Olympic medals in 2004 (gold) and 2008 (silver).
• Mendoza has paved new paths for women in sports broadcasting, becoming the first female broadcaster in the booth for ESPN's College World Series, the first female analyst for an MLB game on ESPN and the first female analyst for Sunday Night Baseball. She also became the first female analyst in MLB Postseason history when she broadcasted the 2015 American League Wild Card Game. Mendoza moved into a full-time role on Sunday Night Baseball in 2016.
Jessica Mendoza was selected to the Pac-12 All-Century Team.
BONSTROM EXCELS ON FIELD AND IN CLASSROOM
• Kayla Bonstrom (international relations), a 2015 NFCA All-America Second Team selection, has played in 209 of a possible 211 games throughout her career – making 207 starts. She is second among Cardinal players in 2016 with a .288 batting average with 22 RBIs, 11 doubles, three home runs, two triples, 22 runs, 13 walks and a .480 slugging percentage.
• Bonstrom missed Stanford's midweek game against Pacific (April 6) because she was presenting her senior thesis at the United States Military Academy Combating Terrorism Center at West Point conference on terrorism, insurgency and asymmetric conflicts.
• Bonstrom has exceled in the classroom and was a 2015 Capital One Academic Second Team All-American and All-District Softball Team District 8 selection. She was selected to the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) Interschool Honors Program in International Security Studies during her junior year to develop a senior thesis with the federal government related to national security. She's interested in working in national security upon graduation.
• Bonstrom was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-50 Watch List earlier this season. She was also selected as a Senior CLASS Award Top-30 finalist.
Kayla Bonstrom presented her senior thesis at an anti-terrorism conference at West Point.
A TREE AMONG BEARS
• Carolyn Lee's family has numerous ties to Cal and got the opportunity to pitch against the Golden Bears twice last weekend. Her dad went to Cal and is a huge fan, and both of her older sisters played softball at Cal. Carolyn says her younger brother is the biggest Cal fan in the family and gives her the worst time about going to Stanford.
• Lee has provided quality starts for the Cardinal throughout the season and consistently positions Stanford within striking distance for victories.
• Lee made her Pac-12 debut at No. 4/7 Oregon and pitched well, holding the Ducks to five earned runs in 10.0 innings with six strikeouts.
Carolyn Lee discusses her family's ties to Cal.
NOLL RETURNING TO FORM
• Junior centerfielder Bessie Noll had a hot start to the season come to a halt when she was hit by a pitch March 5 and sidelined by the injury. She returned to the field in center field April 6 against Pacific and returned to the batting lineup April 16 against Arizona.
• Noll led Stanford in batting average (.404), home runs (6), doubles (7), runs (18), walks (13), slugging percentage (.885) and on-base percentage (.536) through the first 18 games prior to her injury.
• Noll was streaking during tournament play and hit .400 (4-for-10) with two home runs, four RBIs, five runs, a double and a 1.100 slugging percentage through the first three games of the Malihini Aloha Tournament.
• Noll grew up playing baseball in Tokyo, Japan, and only played softball during the summers of her high school years.
STABILITY BEHIND THE PLATE
• Four-year starting catcher Jessica Plaza has had quality senior campaign. She is hitting .269 batting average, producing 13 RBIs, eight doubles, a triple, 18 runs and 13 walks. She missed last weekend's series against California due to an injury.