STANFORD, Calif. – Senior Teaghan Cowles broke the Stanford career triples record and Stanford (15-3) won a pair of games via the run rule on Friday to open play from the DeMarini Invitational.
Cowles collected her 19th career triple in the fourth inning of an 8-0 victory over Pacific in game one of the day for the Cardinal. The native of Ridgefield, Wash. passed Ashley Hansen (2009-12) for the record, eventually finishing 1-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs.
Here is the triple that pushed Teaghan Cowles past @ashl3yh (2009-12) for the Stanford record.#GoStanford | #NCAASoftball pic.twitter.com/pR1c0USDev
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) February 29, 2020
The two-RBI triple was one of two triples in the game against Pacific, with Emily Young also posting a three-bagger as part of a 2-for-2 day with two runs scored.
Freshman Alana Vawter dealt the five-inning complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits while striking out five to improve to 5-0 on the season.
The Cardinal scored three in the third, three in the fourth, and two in the fifth to secure the victory – capped by a Montana Dixon RBI-single into centerfield for the walk-off hit.
Dixon, Kristina Inouye and Emily Schultz each drove in a pair in a 9-1 victory over Saint Francis in game two of the day. A Dixon two-run home run highlighted a four-run second inning for the Cardinal, while Schultz tripled home a run in the third to help extend the lead to 6-1 at that point.
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— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) February 29, 2020
WE. HAVE. LIFTOFF.@Montanamariee12 absolutely demolishes a pitch to left field.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/8YiVzvk44D
Carrying the five-run cushion into the bottom of the fifth, Stanford scored three runs to capture the run-rule victory and another walk-off win. Cowles got the inning going with a single before Taylor Gindlesperger punched a single to shortstop to put two aboard. A walk to Kaitlyn Lim loaded the bases before Schultz lofted a sacrifice fly to right field. Inouye followed with an RBI-single to run the tally to 8-1 before Hannah Matteson grounded a ball toward the third-base side of the circle and Lim slid home safely ahead of the throw with the winning run.
Freshman Tatum Boyd got the start and earned the victory after surrendering just one run on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts over 5.0 innings of work. Boyd moved to 6-0 with the victory.
Over the two games played on Friday, Stanford collected three triples and stole seven bases – including five stolen bases against Pacific. With two more walk-off victories on Friday, Stanford has now accumulated seven for the season, and has won a game in its final at bat on nine occasions.
The Cardinal will play two more games on Saturday, beginning with a 3 p.m. contest against Saint Francis. Stanford will then conclude day two against Rhode Island at 5:30 p.m.