Canady blanks LSU, Stanford pushes series to Game 3
What did NiJaree Canady respond from the worst outing of her career? She carried a no-hitter into the fifth, struck out nine and shut out LSU to keep Stanford’s season alive with a 3-0 win.
Canady’s energy could be felt throughout the whole game and her Cardinal teammates rode it. Ali Newland opened the fifth with a leadoff double, giving the Tigers a prime opportunity to tie the game at one. The Stanford ace took the punch and countered with her own. Canady struck out the next three batters and gave her ferocious stomp all the way to the dugout.
Leadoff double?
NOTHING THREE-STRAIGHT KS CAN’T SOLVE#GoStanford x #RoadToWCWS pic.twitter.com/WPDUM6zSDQ
— Stanford Softball (@StanfordSball) May 26, 2024
The Tigers appeared to be in business in the sixth as well. Ciara Briggs had a single and it appeared that Kelley Lynch would reach on a bouncer. River Mahler did her best to grab the bouncer and touch second for the force. The second base umpire Michael Hernandez ruled that she didn’t keep her foot on the bag but after review she indeed did.
Mahler carried that momentum into the seventh to help give Canady some insurance. She led off the top of the inning with a triple and came in to score on a Emily Jones double. Kyra Chan came through with her third of the night with a RBI single. Chan drove in the first run of the night after Taryn Kern was inches away from a two-out homer but Chan ensured the Cardinal came away with a run.
Will LSU bats respond? The Tigers will likely trot Sydney Berzon back out to the circle. How much will Canady have left as we’ll assume she’ll get the ball again. The last ticket to Oklahoma City will be punched at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
