| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| St. Mary's (3-7) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 1 |
| Stanford (4-5) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| W - Moss (2-2) | 3.2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| L - Snyder (3-2) | 5.0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Hitting | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | HR |
| Victoria Molina | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Jessica Plaza | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford's Victoria Molina hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase a 4-1 deficit against St. Mary's but it was not quite enough as the Cardinal fell 6-5 in nine innings.
After surrendering two runs in the top of the ninth inning, Stanford battled back and capitalized on an error to cut its deficit to 6-5 with two outs. However, the Cardinal was unable to find the hits needed to complete the comeback.
“We never quit in that game,” said Stanford head coach Rachel Hanson. “There are a few things we need to sharpen up but mostly we need to loosen up at the plate. We play best when we’re aggressive.”
Stanford (4-5) finished the weekend 1-3 with its lone victory coming Saturday against the Gaels.
Molina paced the Cardinal on the weekend offensively, batting 5-for-13 with five RBIs, a home run, a double and a run. Arden Pettit hit .375 (3-for-8) with two runs and a walk, while Bessie Noll went 4-for-11 (364) with two doubles, two runs, four walks and an RBI.
Carolyn Lee (1-3) got the start in the circle for the Cardinal in the weekend finale against the Gaels and left the game with a no-decision, permitting two runs – one earned – on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
Haley Snyder (3-2) came in as relief in the fifth inning and suffered the loss, allowing four runs – three earned – on four hits and one walk with a strikeout.
“Both pitchers did a pretty good job,” said Hanson. “They’re both doing a good job of attacking and they’re keeping us in games and giving us opportunities to win.”
Stanford found itself in an early hole when the Gaels struck for a run in the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead.
St. Mary’s would have added another run in the top of the second had Bessie Noll not made one of the defensive plays of the game, throwing out a runner at home from center field.
Jessica Plaza applies the tag on Bessie Noll's throw to the plate. (Photo by Karen Ambrose Hickey)
The Cardinal responded in the bottom of the third inning when Jessica Plaza hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Kayla Bonstrom from third.
St. Mary’s tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth to take a 4-1 lead.
The Cardinal did a majority of its damage in the sixth inning. Jessica Plaza led off with a double over the centerfielder’s head and was followed by Pettit who was hit by a pitch to reach base. Molina stepped to the plate and drilled a three-run home run to left field.
“Victoria really has a great mentality at the plate right now and is attacking good pitches,” said Hanson. “She had been swinging the bat really well and was calm at the plate. She stood up and delivered in a big moment.”
After scoreless seventh and eighth innings, St. Mary’s broke through in the ninth with two runs. The Gaels loaded the bases later that inning but Snyder did well to limit the damage and pitch out of the inning.
Stanford managed to get one run back in the bottom half of the frame but could not produce a second run to keep the game going.
The Cardinal heads to the Mary Nutter Classic in Cathedral City, California, next weekend, beginning Thursday at 3:30 p.m. (PT) against Missouri.
