Recap: No. 21 Stanford Softball sweeps Pitt
On Sunday, No. 21 Stanford softball swept Pittsburgh in a three-game series, winning the deciding game 9-2. Zoe Prystajko (9-2) was the winning pitcher for the Cardinal in a relief role, pitching the final 3.0 innings while allowing zero hits and accumulating eight strikeouts while Kyra Pittman (4-3) was the losing pitcher for the Panthers in a starting role, pitching the first 2.0 innings. Prystajko would pick up ACC Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday.
Stanford 1st baseman Taryn Kern went 2-4 for three RBIs while center fielder Emily Jones went 2-4 for two RBIs, including one home run. Stanford improves to 14-6 overall and 4-2 in the ACC while Pittsburgh falls to 13-9 overall and 0-3 in the ACC.
BOX SCORE: Pittsburgh at Stanford-Sunday, March 8th
“Yeah, I think getting a conference sweep is a big deal,” Stanford head coach Jessica Allister said after the game. “So, really happy about that. I thought it was a really good bounce back after a tough road trip to Louisville last week. And then I thought we had like different people do a really good job in different times. So we got some people that are starting to swing the bat a little bit. It was exciting to see Emily Jones square up a couple of balls today. You know, Taryn came up with some big hits. I think Joie just keeps getting better and better. And the pitching staff threw as a staff this weekend, which was fantastic.”
Stanford got on the board in the bottom of the 1st inning to lead 1-0 as Jones went yard to deep center field with one out. Nobody else got on base the rest of the inning, keeping it a 1-0 lead.
“I was really just looking for a strike that I wanted to hit,” Jones said of her home run. “I was kind of looking for the pitcher to come to me and get a good swing off.”
After Stanford starting pitcher Alyssa Houston pitched another shutout inning in the top of the 2nd inning, Stanford added three more runs in the bottom of the 2nd. Jade Berry would double to left center and then steal third base after which Ava Gall was walked. Jordana King then came in to pinch run for Gall. Joe Economides then singled to center field, bringing home Berry and advancing King to second base. Sydney Boulaphinh then grounded out to second base, advancing King to third base and Economides to second base. River Mahler then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home King.
After a mound visit, Kern singled to left field, bringing home Sophia Jin from second base, who was pinch running for Economides. Jones then grounded out to second base to end the bottom of the 2nd inning. 4-0 lead for the Cardinal.
“I think we focus on having a lot of consistent offensive pressure and confidence that we can score anywhere in the lineup,” Jones said of their hitting. “I have all the confidence in the world. My teammates, to me are the best hitters ever. So, I think just building off one another and kind of Taryn would say, work to pass the bat…Yeah, Taryn’s a very unique hitter. She’s one of the best hitters I’ve ever seen. Like, she just sets a great tone in the beginning, like kind of for our team to really focus on swinging at strikes, being calm in the box, and I learn a lot from her and I know a lot of our other teammates do, too.”
Anna Brewer would come in to pitch for Houston in the top of the 3rd inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Brewer would give up two runs as Calle Henne reached on a fielder’s choice hit to short stop while Alena Ball was out at second base, bringing home Addison Toczek and Tieley Vaughn. Brewer then forced a foul out to end the top of the 3rd. 4-2 was now the score.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Stanford would not score, keeping it a 4-2 game going into the 4th inning. Neither team would score in the 4th inning, keeping it at a 4-2 game. However, there was a pitching change for the Cardinal as Ava Bulanti came in to pitch for Brewer. Bulanti did not allow anyone to get on base in the top of the 4th.
In the top of the 5th inning, Prystajko came in to pitch for Bulanti, getting three straight strikeouts. That kept it a 4-2 lead.
“I think just hitting the spots and knowing where they were, you know?” Prystajko said of her strikeouts. “I obviously, like the team was adjusting and just kinda noticing that and being able to adjust myself.”
In the bottom of the 5th, Kyra Chan doubled to right center with one out after which Addyson Sheppard singled down the right field line, making it a 5-2 lead. Stanford wouldn’t add any more runs the rest of the inning.
“She’s really composed,” Allister said of Sheppard. “And obviously, she’s a really good ballplayer. She has a tremendous skillset. But I think her composure and her just like maturity to handle struggle is, doesn’t look like a freshman and it allows her to, you know, continue to put together good stretches in what could be a really streaky sport.”
In the top of the 6th, Prystajko would keep it a 5-2 game. She hit one batter and allowed a steal, but nobody else got on base to bring home the runner. In the bottom of the 6th, Stanford added four runs to make it 9-2 as Kern hit a two-RBI double, Jones hit an RBI double, and Sheppard hit an RBI single. That made it 9-2.
“Yeah, against a harder schedule, which is absolutely amazing,” Allister said of Kern’s hitting. “I think she’s doing a really good job of when we have runners in scoring position, like taking the RBIs. And I think that’s been a huge piece for her and then I think she just, like anything, like hitting when you’re calm, you allow yourself to be successful and I think she’s done a really good job of being in control, being calm, and allowing her skill set to take over.”
In the top of the 7th, Prystajko shut the door on the Panthers for good. Things got a bit interesting as Shelby Frazier got on first base via a dropped strike after which Addison Oberbreckling got hit by a pitch. But pinch runner Ahmari Braden would get out at first base via pick off from catcher to first. That ended the game. 9-2 would be the final score as Stanford came out on top with a dominant seven run victory.
“And we chatted about that a little bit on Friday,” Allister said of having Prystajko come in for relief. “And what we’re just trying to do is how do we put together the best sequence to win seven and try to win, you know, a three game series of seven. And I think her coming out of the pen right now, I mean, her stats this weekend were just unreal. So, if we can shorten games for her and bring her in in those late innings or leads, I like our chances.”
“I think just trusting my stuff and being able to place the pitches where I know I want to place them and trusting my team, that they were gonna do their job, too,” Prystajko said of the key to closing the game out of the bullpen. “Yeah, I think, I don’t know. I feel like it’s been not that different from last year. Like, I’m kinda used to that middle closing role from last year. So, I think everything from that has prepared me for this. So, not that much of it changed. But for sure, being able to trust my stuff for shorter innings is nice.”
For Stanford, this was a nice win. They dominated Pitt all week. To cap off the sweep with a 9-2 victory was a great exclamation point. The bats came alive; the pitching was sound. Really not much to complain about if you are the Cardinal. Just an all-around good victory.
“I think going into the third game that we know this game is going to be hard and that we are expecting it to be hard,” Jones said of the key to closing out the sweep. “And like staying in the fight and kind of working to have, kind of just get our best swings off, be the aggressor, and really know it’s gonna be hard and be comfortable in that hard…It feels great. It feels great to be back at home. It feels great to just kind of play Stanford softball like we know how to.”
Up next for Stanford is a three-game home series against Notre Dame. That will begin on Friday at 6:00 PM PT on ACCNX.
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