Pac-12 Softball: Defense Betrays Cal in 4-2 Loss to Stanford

Bears cannot overcome four unearned runs as Stanford ace NiJarre Canady eliminates them from the conference tournament.

Stanford pitcher NiJarre Canady / Photo courtesy Stanford Athletics

Things looked promising for the Cal softball team on Thursday in its opening-round game of the Pac-12 tournament.

Facing Stanford ace NiJarre Canady — possibly the nation’s top pitcher — the Bears forged a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning at the Cardinal’s Smith Family Stadium.

Then the Bears’ defense let them down.

A passed ball and two errors by Cal allowed Stanford to score four unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth and that was plenty for Canady as the Cardinal went on to claim a 4-2 victory.

Ousted from the single-elimination Pac-12 event, the seventh-seeded Bears (36-17) now await Sunday afternoon, when the NCAA tournament field is announced.

Cal, ranked No. 20 and carrying a No. 21 RPI rating while playing in one of the toughest conferences in the country, seems likely to land a bid for the second year in a row.

The 64-team NCAA field — including 32 at-large bids — will be revealed at 4 p.m. Sunday on ESPN2. Cal was 33-19-1 after exiting the Pac-12 tournament a year ago, then won twice in three NCAA games before being eliminated by top-ranked Oklahoma.

No. 2 seed Stanford (43-12) will face Utah in the tournament semifinals on Friday.

Cal went ahead Thursday in the top of the fourth when three-time All-Pac-12 selection Tatum Anzaldo singled up the middle to open the inning. Tianna Bell walked before Acacia Anders tried to move them along.

Third baseman Jade Berry appeared to make diving catch on the bunt, then wheeled and threw to second to double off Anzaldo.

A video replay reversed the ball, showing Berry caught the ball on the short hop. A passed ball moved the runners to second and third. After Kyra Chan made a diving catch of Anders’ line drive to left, Anzaldo alertly tagged up and scored.

Momentum didn’t last long for the Bears.

Cal coach Chelsea Spencer surprised Stanford by starting sophomore Ryann Orange, a seldom-used transfer from Rutgers. Orange, who started just four games all season, had not allowed a run in six previous appearances spanning more than nine innings.

Orange shut out Stanford through three innings but her day was done after she walked Aly Kaneshiro to open the fourth. 

Senior Haylei Archer came on and struck out the first batter she faced. A passed ball sent Kaneshiro to second before Jade Berry flied out.

With two outs, the wheels came off suddenly for the Bears. Caelan Koch’s hard ground ball to second got past Elon Butler, and the error allowed Kaneshiro to score from second, trying the game.

River Mahler got Stanford’s first hit with a bunt single, Koch moving to second. Kaityn Lim’s grounder to left side got through shortstop Anzaldo for another error, allowing Koch to score. 

The runners advanced to second and third on the late throw home, and leadoff hitter Taryn Kern line drive single up the middle brought home both runs for a 4-1 lead.

A walk, two errors, a passed ball, a bunt single and, finally, a hard-hit ball, and Cal was down three runs.

The Bears got one run back on a double-steal in the top of the fifth, with pinch-runner Hope Alley dashing home when the Cardinal defense briefly went to sleep.

That was all Cal got against Canady the rest of the way. She entered the game with a 17-4 record, an 0.53 earned run average and 243 strikeouts in 158 innings as the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year.

Against the Bears, she walked six but allowed just three hits and had 10 strikeouts. More than that, she prevented the Pac-12’s most dangerous power-hitting team from getting an extra-base hit.

Cal entered the game with a conference-leading 77 home run and 83 doubles, and this was just the fifth time all season the Bears didn’t manage either in a game.

The Bears’ pitchers did their part. Orange, Archer and freshman Randi Roelling allowed no hits other than the two Stanford scratched out in the decisive fourth inning.