STANFORD, Calif. – Whitney Burks hit a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to erase a 1-0 deficit but Stanford was unable to complete the comeback, falling 4-1 in eight innings to Dartmouth.
Stanford (11-11) had opportunities offensively throughout the game, generating baserunners in seven of the eight innings, but could not capitalize. Kayla Bonstrom led the Cardinal at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a triple and two singles. Burks provided the clutch power needed to send the game to extra innings.
Carolyn Lee got the start in the circle and held the Big Green (7-8) to one run on seven hits and four walks with a strikeout in 6.0 innings. Haley Snyder (5-5) came in as relief in the seventh and took the loss despite a shutdown seventh inning and quality performance in the eighth.
Both teams had their chances early. Dartmouth loaded the bases with three consecutive singles to start the game but Lee was able to pitch out of the jam.
Victoria Molina led off the bottom of the second with a triple but Stanford was unable to bring her home.
Savannah Schulze led off with a walk in the bottom of the third inning and Stanford put together a two-out rally with back-to-back singles by Kayla Bonstrom and Jessica Plaza. Schulze tried to score on Plaza's single to left field but was thrown out at the plate to keep the score knotted at 0-0.
Dartmouth broke the deadlock in the top of the sixth inning when Tiffany Dyson delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to left field to give the Big Green a 1-0 lead. After walking the next batter to load the bases, Lee forced a fielder's choice groundout to third to end the inning.
Bonstrom led off the bottom half of the inning with a triple to center field but for the second time in the game, the Cardinal was unable to capitalize with the next three batters being unable to bring her home.
Burks got Stanford on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning and tied the game with a leadoff home run to dead center field. It is her third home run of the season.
Kaitlin Schaberg followed with a single and the Cardinal seemed to be putting together a nice rally. Savannah Schulze successfully delivered a sacrifice bunt to move Schaberg to second but as Schaberg rounded second she dropped to the ground with an injury and was tagged out. Lauren Bertoy lined out to center to end the inning and send the game to extra innings.
Dartmouth put together a two-out rally in the top of the eighth – aided by a close fair-or-foul call down the left field line and a Stanford error – to score three runs and take a 4-1 lead.
Stanford continued to battle and loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom half of the frame. However, the Cardinal was unable to find the hit needed to level the score.
Stanford opens conference play Thursday at Oregon at 6 p.m. (PT).