Sports: Cardinal Tames Tigers

Kipp had a match-high 14 kills

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Senior Kendall Kipp recorded a match-high 14 kills to lead No. 14 Stanford to a 25-18, 25-12, 25-18 win over Tennessee State, Saturday, at the Gentry Center.

Stanford out hit Tennessee State, .300 to .124, and racked up 9.0 blocks and seven aces.

Stanford Drops Opener

Recap, photo courtesy of Stanford

Bruins bag Game 1 on Friday night

LOS ANGELES – No. 2 Stanford dropped an 8-4 decision at No. 21 UCLA on Friday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

"They played a better game than us tonight and we really struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position," said Clarke and Elizabeth Nelson Director of Baseball David Esquer. "I thought Tristan battled through some tough breaks and we showed some fight in the ninth, but we have some things we need to clean up for the rest of the series."

The Cardinal (22-4 overall, 5-2 Pac-12) trailed for most of the game by one run before UCLA's five-run eighth inning. Stanford plated two runs in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough.

Beau Branton went 4-for-4, Tim Tawa had two RBI, and Tristan Beck battled for 6.1 innings despite picking up the loss. Beck finished allowing eight hits and two walks while striking out five, settling in after allowing three runs in the first four innings.

The Bruins (18-7, 7-3) jumped on Stanford early with a two-run double in the bottom of the third, but the Cardinal responded with a run in the next frame. Andrew Daschbach lined one into right field to score Maverick Handley from second. It was Daschbach's team-leading 25th RBI of the season and his fifth in the last two games.

UCLA got the run back the next inning with a softly-hit infield single that fell just between the reach of Beck and Nico Hoerner. Stanford had a response of its own the very next frame with Tim Tawa bringing home Christian Molfetta on a fielder's choice.

After the teams traded scoreless innings through the top of the eighth, UCLA raced to a six-run lead with a five-run bottom half. Four of the runs were charged to freshman Jacob Palisch, who finished allowing three hits, including a grand slam, in 1.0 innings.

Tawa drove in a run with a double in the ninth, followed by Nico Hoerner's sacrifice fly to right – Hoerner hit the ball hard several ties straight at Bruin outfielders.  

Stanford returns to Jackie Robinson Stadium tomorrow at 2 p.m. PT for Game 2 of the three-game series. Kris Bubic (5-0, 0.96 ERA) takes the mound for the Cardinal against Zach Pettway (5-0, 2.23 ERA) of UCLA. Live statistics will be available at GoStanford.com.

Cardinal Notes

• Maverick Handley threw out both stolen base attempts against him – on the season, he has thrown out 10-of-15 stolen base attempts this season.
• Kyle Stowers reached base twice with two walks.
• Branton's four hits were a career high – he extended his team-high hit streak to seven games, and has 13 hits in his last seven games.
• The runs allowed by Palisch were the first since Feb. 17 – he had gone 19.1 innings across 11 appearances without allowing an earned run.

Cardinal Falls at UCLA

Recap, photo courtesy of Stanford University

Stanford closes out MPSF play Saturday at Pepperdine

LOS ANGELES – Despite 14 kills and nine digs from freshman Jaylen Jasper, Stanford dropped a 3-1 decision at No. 5 UCLA, Thursday, at Pauley Pavilion.
 
Stanford (6-18, 3-8 MPSF) hit .208 as a team and finished with three blocks and three aces. The loss put the Cardinal out of contention to host a first round MPSF playoff match next weekend.
 
UCLA (21-6, 8-3 MPSF) hit .412 in the match and finished with 9.0 blocks and five aces. The Bruins were 10-0-11 (.909) in the fourth set.
 
Sophomore setter Paul Bischoff collected 35 assists to go with five digs and three kills. Redshirt senior Kevin Rakestraw hit .467 (8-1-15) and tallied three blocks. Junior outside hitter Jordan Ewert also recorded eight kills and had six digs.

Freshman middle blocker Kyler Presho hit .500 with six kills and an ace, while freshman outside hitter Leo Henken chipped in with four kills and an ace.

UCLA was led by middle blocker Daenan Gyimah's 15 kills on .636 hitting and four blocks. Opposite Christian Hessenauer had 14 kills and five digs for the Bruins.
 
Stanford closes out the regular season on Saturday at No. 4 Pepperdine at 5 p.m.

Stanford Women's Lacrosse Win Streak Continues

Recap, photo courtesy of Stanford University

Twelve Cardinal score in seventh straight victory

STANFORD, Calif. - Twelve different Cardinal got in the scoring column as No. 13 Stanford lacrosse cruised to its seventh straight victory, 18-6, over UC Davis at Cagan Stadium on Thursday night. 

Senior captain Kelsey Murray and freshman Galen Lew each had hat tricks as Stanford (10-3) led 10-3 at the half and never allowed the Aggies (5-5) to get closer in the second half. Senior goalkeeper Allie DaCar made 12 saves and allowed just six past her for an impressive .667 save percentage.

Murray added an assist for a team-high four points. Senior captain Dillon Schoen and freshman Ali Baiocco each had a pair of goals, and the rookie added an assist. 

The Cardinal has now won seven in a row for the first time since a 10-game stretch in 2015. 

It was tied at 1-1 through the first six minutes, but Stanford came alive with four straight goals, including two by Murray. After the Aggies got one back, Stanford scored five straight behind five different goal scorers - sophomore Daniella McMahon, Baiocco, Lew, sophomore Jacie Lemos and Murray, respectively, and took a seven-goal lead into the break. 

Junior defender Julia Massaro opened the second-half scoring with her second career goal and first of the season on a breakaway after a caused turnover. 

Baiocco connected with Schoen for a 12-4 lead with 21:17 remaining, and the teams traded goals for the next few minutes. Lew made it 15-5 at the 13:54 mark, and the clock ran for the rest of the night. 

Junior walk-on Shelby Parks and freshman Katherine Gjertsen each scored their first career goals to close out the victory. 

Stanford won 20 of the 27 draw controls and held a 37-21 advantage in shots and 33-23 edge in ground balls.

Stanford has one more non-conference game remaining. The Cardinal will welcome old MPSF rival Fresno State to The Farm on Sunday at noon PT.

Cardinal Cruises

Recap, photo courtesy of Stanford

No. 2 Stanford improves to 22-3

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Andrew Daschbach and Kyle Stowers homered, Brendan Beck threw 6.0 strong innings and No. 2 Stanford defeated Santa Clara, 16-8, on Tuesday night at Stephen Schott Stadium.

"We definitely got some help to start, but I thought Stowers' swing of the bat was the biggest moment for us tonight," said Clarke and Elizabeth Nelson Director of Baseball. "After an inning like the first, you always want to show you can score again, and that swing really opened it back up for us after they started to get back into it."

Stowers also enjoyed a fine evening at the plate, going 2-for-5 with three RBI and his fourth home run of the season. Stowers' home run was a line shot to the opposite field in the seventh, stretching Stanford's lead to 10-2. Stowers also pitched a scoreless eighth inning, needing just nine pitches to retire the side.

Daschbach had a career day, setting career marks in RBI (4) and hits (3). Daschbach hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season in the eighth, a towering shot to left that cleared Santa Clara's batting cages.

Starter Brendan Beck (4-0) earned the win, hurling 6.0 innings while allowing four hits, one walk and two runs. In his last three starts, Beck has gone 17.0 innings while allowing eight hits and two earned runs.

Stanford seized the lead early with its highest-scoring inning of the season, a seven spot in the opening frame. Tim Tawa reached third base on the first pitch of the game via two Santa Clara errors before Maverick Handley and Nico Hoerner each were hit by a pitch. Stanford made it 5-0 before Handley's two-out double made it 7-0.

The Broncos (15-11, 4-5 WCC) responded with runs off Beck in the fifth and sixth innings, but Stanford struck back with Stowers' home run in the seventh and Daschbach's in the eighth. Trailing 16-2, Santa Clara plated six runs in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little, too late.

No. 2 Stanford returns to action this weekend when it travels to play UCLA in Los Angeles. The series opener on Friday at 6 p.m. PT with Saturday's contest at 2 p.m. and Sunday's finale set for 1 p.m. Live statistics will be available at GoStanford.com.

Cardinal Notes

• Every Cardinal starter scored at least one run.
• Stowers' home run was his second in three contests – he homered in Stanford's 4-0 win over Oregon on Sunday.
• Stanford's previous season high in an inning came in an 11-1 win at Texas on March 11.
• Will Matthiessen pitched a scoreless seventh, striking out one and needing 19 pitches.
• Nick Bellafronto reached base in his first career plate appearance, drawing a pinch-hit walk in the eighth.
• Christian Robinson registered his first career RBI with an opposite-field line drive in the eighth, scoring Bellafronto and Jesse Kuet.
• Stanford's eight walks tied a season high.