TEMPE, Ariz. -- Junior (Needles, Calif./Needles) went 2-for-3 with a double and scored both of Bradley's runs, but the Braves opened the 2013 season with an 8-2 loss to 20th -ranked Stanford Thursday on the opening day of the Kajikawa Classic.Alex Chandler

Stanford (1-0 overall) hit a pair of homers in the second inning and jumped out to a 5-0 lead after just two frames thanks in part to a two-run homer by Sarah Hassman in the top half of the second.

"Stanford is a quality program and you can't make mistakes because they will escalate quickly," said Bradley head coach Amy Hayes.  "Our team fought hard and (Alex) Chandler, (Bailiegh) Basham and (Brianne) Joseph  started the season solid.  Tomorrow we will need to make adjustments quicker against Arizona."

Bradley (0-1 overall) had its first two batters in the bottom half of the second single, but the Braves managed just two hits against Stanford pitchers in the first four innings and were unable to push a run across until the bottom half of the fifth. 

The Cardinal added an unearned run in the top of the third on one of three BU errors in the contest to take a 6-0 lead.  In the fourth, Jenna Rich made it a 7-0 Stanford lead with an RBI double and a two-out RBI single off the bat of Erin Ashby pushed the Cardinal advantage to 8-0.

The Braves managed to push a run across in the bottom of the fifth after Chandler led off the frame with the first of her two hits in the contest.  After Chandler moved to second on a passed ball, junior (Post Falls, Idaho/Post Falls) drove her in from second with a two-out single up the middle.  Brianne Joseph

Junior (Sedro-Woolley, Wash./Sedro-Woolley) retired Stanford in order in the sixth and got of a jam in the seventh, before Chandler led off the bottom half of the seventh with a double.  She later scored on a Stanford throwing error, but Bradley stranded runners at the corners as the Cardinal closed out the 8-2 victory.Madeline Lynch-Crumrine

Senior (Mapleton, Ill./Limestone) suffered the loss in the circle for the Braves, surrendering three earned runs in one and two-third innings.  Lynch-Crumrine struck out five in five and one-third innings of work out of the bullpen.Mackenzie Camp

Bradley continues play at the Kajikawa Classic Friday, taking on 13th-ranked Arizona at 6:30 p.m. (CST) in Tempe, Ariz.