Stanford Cardinal
Overall Rank: #22
Conference Rank: #6 Pac-12
Stanford Team Page
Stanford is usually known as a traditional powerhouse program, but the Cardinal hit the skids last season as they slid from 39 victories to 30. The team won just five games in the Pac-12, prompting many to wonder just what was going on. It was a very disappointing season for a program that had been ranked top 25 in the nation and climbed as high as 13th before it fell. How will Stanford fare this season? The road hopefully climbs up from here, but there will be some bumps along the way before Stanford can regain its status as an elite national program to watch.
2014: 30-25, 5-19
2014 Postseason: None
Coach: Rachel Hanson
Field Players:
Stanford starts out 2015 on a high note. Pretty much anyone who hit .200 or above is back in action, and all of the team’s .300 hitters from a year ago return to the field. Six players hit .300 or better, led by Kylie Sorenson (.363-5-42) and Leah White (.356-2-38, 62 hits). Stanford had 29 home runs a year ago and all of those players return to the lineup, combined with some incoming freshmen. Speed will also play a factor. The Cardinal stole 55 bases in 2014, led by Hanna Winter (.333, 16 SB, 48 runs scored) White (14 SB) and Tylyn Wells (.317, 13 SB). Everything is looking up for a squad that had some trouble hitting a year ago. Six of the seven freshmen that were recruited are non-pitchers, so that should help provide backup support.
Pitchers:
Madi Schreyer (22-14, 171 strikeouts) is back as the team’s top starter, but Schreyer possesses a lack of control. Although her strikeout total was excellent, Schreyer walked 132 batters. That is way too many walks for an elite pitcher on what is supposed to be a top-25 softball team. Wells and Sorenson also pitched, but don’t look for the Cardinal to use them too much in the circle thanks to ERA’s above 7.00. Haley Snyder, a freshman from Fair Oaks, California, could slide into the No. 2 hole with ease if neither Wells nor Sorenson are up to the pitching challenge. Carley Hoover transferred to LSU from Stanford following a devastating injury in her freshman season. Nyree White left the team for “personal” reasons not long into 2014, and the team didn’t recover.
Who to Watch:
Hanson will be a wild card to watch for 2015. She is just the third head coach in Stanford’s history, having come from a successful stint at Dartmouth. Hanson replaces John Rittman, who resigned in June after 18 seasons on the job. Hoover and White’s troubles didn’t help his cause, but the team has a little more stability now with its hitting lineup intact and the pitching situation intact. Rittman was beloved in the Stanford athletic community, and how the team responds to Hanson’s coaching will go a long way toward deciding the team’s fate.
Final Projection:
Stanford opens the regular season with Virginia, North Carolina and Texas among six games in Tempe, Arizona. The Cardinal then come home to take on Cal Poly and Alabama in their own invitational. Other non-conference games include Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Long Beach State, Santa Clara and Minnesota. It should be a bounce-back year for the Cardinal, as a ton of hitting and decent pitching blend with the newcomers to provide a strong level of support and guide Stanford to at least 35 wins. Whether that increases to 40 or more is up to the players.
Projected Postseason: NCAA Softball Tournament
Returning Leaders:
At Bats: Hanna Winter, IF, 177
Hits: Leah White, OF, 62
Home Runs: Erin Ashby, IF, 6; Jessica Plaza, IF, 6
RBIs: Kayla Bonstrom, IF/OF, 44
Runs: Hanna Winter, IF, 48
Stolen Bases: Hanna Winter, IF, 16
Wins: Madi Schreyer, P, 22
Innings Pitched: Madi Schreyer, P, 242.1
Strikeouts: Madi Schreyer, P, 171
Complete Games: Madi Schreyer, P, 24
Madness 2015 Softball Recruit Rankings:
#29 Whitney Burks
#47 Victoria Molina
See All Softball Top 44 Previews
