STANFORD, Calif. – Zoe Prystajko had a career day, striking out 10 in five innings to lead the No. 18 Cardinal to a 7-2 win over California this afternoon. Taryn Kern continued her hot start to the year at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored as Stanford moved to 5-0 on the season.
The Card came out swinging in the first inning. Prystajko struck out three in the opening frame, with a single stranded in between. Then in the home half of the frame, Stanford opened with four-straight hits to set the tempo.
River Mahler drove in Taryn Kern on an RBI single, then came around to score along with Jade Berry on a two-run double from Ava Gall. Kyra Chan capped the scoring with a single to bring home Jordana King, pinch running for Gall.
After Prystajko was perfect in the second and third, with four more strikeouts, the Card pushed a pair of unearned runs across in the third.
Emily Jones brought a run in on an RBI groundout, then Kern brought in another with a single to push the lead to 6-0.
Prystajko struck out two in the fourth to match her career high at nine, then punched out her 10th in the fifth for a new best.
Mahler drove in Kern again in the fifth, singling in the leadoff hitter after Kern doubled to make it 7-0. Prystajko exited after the fifth inning, finishing with five scoreless innings with just one hit allowed to get the win.
The Bears scored twice in the seventh to break up the shutout, but Alyssa Houston closed out the win.
The Cardinal is at home again next weekend, opening the Cardinal Classic I against Kentucky on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are on sale at Tickets.GoStanford.com, and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
POSTGAME NOTES:
- Zoe Prystajko set a career high with 10 strikeouts in five innings.
- With a leadoff single in the first, Taryn Kern has now picked up a hit in all five games to start the season.
- Stanford scored seven or more runs for the fourth-straight game.
- The Cardinal opens 5-0 for the second-straight season, after going 10-0 to start the 2025 season.
