The No. 15 Cardinal (29-8, 9-6) returns to Stanford Stadium this week, hosting the cross-bay rival California Bears (27-14, 6-9) for a three-game slate on The Farm. The series kicks off on Thursday night, culminating with The Big Swing on Saturday, as the Cardinal takes aim at the NCAA softball single-game attendance record.
NCAA Regular Season Single Game Record: 9,259 (4/9/25, Oklahoma St. @ Oklahoma)
NCAA Posteason Single Game Record: 12,566 (5/30/24, Women’s College World Series Session #2)
Historic Power Surge » The Cardinal has hit the ball with plenty of power in 2025. Through 37 games, the team boasts a program-record 69 home runs. Last season, in 57 games, Stanford hit 56 – the second-most in a season in program history.
The home run total and per-game average are both in the top eight in the NCAA, and the second-best in the ACC. The 69 homers have come from 12 different players, including first-career home runs from River Mahler and Ella Murchison.
Last weekend, the Cardinal hit 13 home runs in three games at Boise State.
Taryn it up at the Plate » Kern has been crushing at the plate to start the season, leading the team in home runs (17) and slugging percentage (.886). The home run total is the eighth-best in the country, and second-best in the ACC.
The Cardinal's leadoff hitter, Kern leads the team in runs scored (45), as well as total bases (101). Kern's 17 home runs are the second-most by a Cardinal batter in program history, and the most in a season since 2008. The slugging percentage is good for the second-best in the ACC, and 22nd in the NCAA.
Running Past The Competition » Junior Emily Jones has been on a tear to open the season, leading the team with a .474 batting average. The batting average is the best in the ACC, and 10th in the NCAA. In 37 games this season, Jones has posted 17 multi-hit games.
Jones has scored 42 runs this season, the second-most on the team. Jones' 55 hits and .530 OBP on the year each lead the team and are in the top 10 in the ACC.
Ice Cold River » Junior River Mahler is tied for the team lead with 39 RBI this season, posting a career year thanks to timely hitting. With runners on base, Mahler is 37-for-78 on the season for a .474 average, including a .481 clip (25-for-52) with runners in scoring position. Both averages lead the team.
Mahler has also driven in a run almost every time she's been up with a runner on third and less than two outs (11-for-13), and is 5-for-6 with the bases loaded. Mahler's .446 batting average is the seventh-best in the ACC. Mahler's 39 RBI on the season are already a new career high i
They've Been in the Weight Room » The season's power surge at the plate includes career years from players from up and down the lineup.
Jones, Mahler, junior Kyra Chan and senior Allie Clements have each hit more home runs in 2025 than in all of their previous seasons combined.
Player Career total entering '25 (games) 2025 season total (games)
River Mahler 0 (128) 7 (36)
Emily Jones 2 (111) 6 (37)
Kyra Chan 1 (86) 6 (37)
Allie Clements 3 (86) 5 (37)
On Pace for History » Four Cardinal hitters are currently on pace to re-write the program top-10 lists for batting average and slugging percentage.
Chan (.407), Jones (.474) and Mahler (.446) all have current batting averages that are good to put them squarely in the top 10, becoming the first Stanford hitter(s) to bat over .400 in a season since 2015.
Mahler (.760) and Kern (.886) are both on pace to edit the program's slugging percentage list as well. That list has not been altered since 2015