The No. 12 Stanford softball team moved to 15-1 on the season this past weekend by winning five of six games at the Palm Springs Classic.

The Cardinal won its first five games of the tournament, including three against ranked opponents, before dropping its final contest on Sunday to No. 25 Texas 3-1.

Stanford set a school record by beginning the season 15-0, a record eclipsing the mark set by the 2002 squad, which began the season 12-0.

The Cardinal began the four-day tournament with a nine-inning 9-3 victory against unranked Florida Atlantic Thursday. After struggling to figure out Owl starter Amber Barton early in the game, the Cardinal exploded for six runs in the top of the ninth to take a commanding six-run lead.

The big blow came off the bat of junior shortstop Maddy Coon, who hit an opposite field grand slam over the right field fence to put the Cardinal in control. Sophomore catcher Rosey Neill also homered for Stanford, while sophomore center fielder Alissa Haber provided two hits and two RBI.

Haber picked up where she left off the next day, leading off the game against Fordham with an opposite field homer of her own. The Cardinal had little trouble with the Rams, winning the game 10-2 in five innings.

Senior third baseman Michelle Smith led the offensive barrage with two homeruns and three RBI, while Neill homered for the second consecutive game.

The Cardinal’s toughest challenge of the year thus far would come that afternoon as it took on sixth-ranked Oklahoma.

The Sooners, who came into the game with a 9-2 record on the season, were the first ranked team Stanford played all season, and the first of four consecutive games the Cardinal would play against ranked opponents.

The game proved to be a pitcher’s duel as junior starter Missy Penna held the Sooner offense to only two runs — only one of which was earned — over the course of Stanford’s 3-2 upset.

Smith was the offensive hero for the Cardinal for the second time that day as she provided two hits and two RBI, including a decisive solo homerun to break a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the sixth.

“We built confidence in the games leading up to this weekend, and beating a team like Oklahoma shows that if we play our game, we can win any game,” Smith said.

Stanford carried their momentum from Friday into Saturday as it took on 18th-ranked University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Cardinal had little trouble dispatching the overmatched Rebels, as Stanford prevailed 10-1 in yet another run-rule shortened game.

UNLV could not find a pitcher who could get Cardinal hitters out, as Stanford jumped all over all three Rebel pitchers they faced. After taking a 2-0 lead in the first, the Cardinal scored six runs in the top of the second inning on only three hits, while taking advantage of three Rebel errors.

Stanford would not look back as Penna and senior Becky McCullough combined to allow only one run on four hits for the game.

Coon, as well as freshman first baseman Melissa Koutz paced the Cardinal offensively. They each provided a pair of hits, while Coon had three RBI and Koutz had two.

That same afternoon the Stanford conquered yet another ranked opponent as it beat No. 21 Ohio State 3-1. Penna yet again led the way for the Cardinal, scattering four hits while striking out eight on her way to a complete game victory.

The Cardinal had 12 hits — including three each from Smith and senior designated player Erin Howe — but also left nine runners on base while only managing to push three runs across the plate.

Sophomore second baseman Shannon Koplitz, Koutz and Haber provided the RBI for Stanford.

On Sunday, though, Stanford was unable to stay undefeated on the year as it fell to Texas.

After falling behind 1-0 on a third-inning homerun by Texas pitcher Brittany Barnhill, the Cardinal fought back to tie the score at one in the top of the fifth on a Koutz bases-loaded walk.

The Longhorns struck right back in the bottom of the inning, however, when first baseman Desiree Williams belted a two-out, two-run homerun that would prove to be the difference.

Stanford was unable to capitalize on multiple opportunities handed to them by Texas in the game, as the Cardinal stranded 11 runners. Longhorn pitching walked nine Stanford batters, but the Cardinal was only able to push one of those across the plate.

Stanford looks to rebound Wednesday when it returns home to take on Providence at 3 p.m.