Stanford Downs Bradley In Softball Play

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Published on February 8 2019 2:49 pm
Last Updated on February 8 2019 2:52 pm

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Stanford broke open a tie game with eight runs in the top of the seventh to top Bradley softball 12-5 in the season opener for both teams Friday morning at the Kajikawa Classic. 

Senior Gabby Stoner and freshman Lucy Mead each went 2-for-4 at the plate with the duo combining for four of Bradley’s five hits in the contest.  Stoner also scored once and drove in a run, while Mead scored a pair of runs in the loss. 

Bradley (0-1 overall) rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie the game at 4-4 with four runs in the bottom of the fourth and the Braves were tied with Stanford (1-0 overall) heading to the seventh, before the Cardinal broke the game open with the eight-run seventh. 

Whitney Burks opened the scoring with a solo homer to leadoff the top of the second as Stanford grabbed an early 1-0 lead.  Bradley starter Julie Kestas worked out of jams in both the second and third innings, with the Cardinal stranding a pair of runners in both frames. 

Stanford (1-0 overall) struck for three runs in the top of the fourth, however, to take a 4-0 lead.  Three straight singles to open the inning loaded the bases and Alyssa Horeczko drove in a pair with a two-run single up the middle.  Sophomore Taise Thompson took over in the circle for Kestas and got a strikeout and groundout, before Montana Dixon ripped a RBI double to left. 

Bradley was retired in order in each of the first three innings, but finally got to Stanford starter Carolyn Lee in the bottom of the fourth.  Mead led off with a bunt single and Stoner followed with the first of her two hits.  Kealia Wysocki drew a one-out walk to load the bases for senior Katie Habryle, who got the Braves on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly.  Back-to-back Stanford errors allowed two more runs to cross and Thompson had a RBI single down the left field line to tie things up at 4-4.  Bradley had runners at second and third after a wild pitch, but Lee got a groundout to end the threat. 

Thompson was able to work around a leadoff walk in the fifth and a two-out error in the sixth to keep the score knotted at 4-4.  Bradley left a pair on in the bottom half of the sixth, after Wysocki was hit by a pitch to start frame and sophomore Stacia Seeton drew a one-out walk.  A flyout and foul out kept the go-ahead run from crossing as the Braves and Stanford went to the seventh tied at 4-4.

Stanford loaded the bases with one out on a pair of walks and single, when Kristina Inouye tripled to right center as the Cardinal grabbed a 7-4 lead.  Horeczko drove in another run with a single to left center and an infield single by Dixon plated a run to give Stanford a 9-4 advantage.  Burks capped the Stanford half of the inning with a three-run homer to left for her second homer of the day as Bradley trailed 12-4 heading to the bottom half of the inning. 

The Braves tried to mount a rally with Mead legging out a one-out triple down the right field line and she scored on a groundout off the bat of Stoner.  Stanford reliever Kiana Pancino got a groundout to close out the 12-5 Cardinal victory, however. 

Teutopolis graduate Allison Apke is a starter for the Braves.

Bradley continues play at the Kajikawa Classic later today with a 3:30 p.m. (CST) game against Seattle.