STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford softball jumped to a 7-1 lead and held on in the seventh to defeat UIC (2-7) in the Cardinal's lone game on Saturday of the Stanford Invitational.
Kylie Chung picked up the save in the seventh inning in the 7-3 victory, while Taylor Gindlesperger returned to form with a pair of extra-base hits, and two runs while going 3-for-4 at the plate. Gindlesperger doubled and tripled in the win.
Stanford (7-2) jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a RBI groundout from Aly Kaneshiro, with Sydnee Huff scoring the go-ahead run. In the fourth inning, Chloe Doyle made it 2-0 on a single up the left side to bat Emily Schultz in, while Hannah Matteson dove for home on a batted ball to the pitcher to give the Cardinal a 3-0 lead.
Doyle ended the game with two RBI in a start at catcher – going 2-for-3 at the plate. She batted in Johnna Schroeder on an outfield single following in the fifth inning to follow up a run from Gindlesperger after Emily Schultz reached on an error.
Stanford added two runs in the sixth inning on a RBI double from Emily Young, and a RBI single up the middle from Schroeder for the 7-1 lead heading to the final frame.
The Flames mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh – scoring two runs and loading the bases. Chung entered the game with two outs and runners on first and second. After walking the first batter she faced, Chung got UIC's Mary Jones to strikeout swinging to end the game and pickup her first save.
Regan Krause improved to 3-0 on the season after striking out six batters in 5.0 innings.
The Cardinal will close out the tournament on Sunday with games against Seattle and San Jose State.