#13 Softball Finally Falls To #4 California, 6-3

Sunday, April 29

Seattle, Wash.

1:00 PM

University of Washington

0-1, 0-1

California

1-0, 1-0

California

Washington

April 30, 2001 | Softball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

April 30, 2001

Box Score

SEATTLE - Almost 24 hours after the game first officially started, fourth-ranked California rallied to defeat the 13th-ranked Washington softball team, 6-3, Monday at Husky Softball Stadium. With the loss, the Huskies fell to 33-18 overall and 7-7 in the Pac-10, while the Golden Bears improved to 48-10 overall and 5-9 in conference play.

The Pac-10 Conference game between Washington and California was originally scheduled to begin Sunday, April 29, at 1 p.m., but did not end up starting until 4:35 p.m. Sunday after a three and a half hour rain delay. The two schools then got two and two-third innings completed before the game was halted once again at 5:15 p.m., and rescheduled for Monday with Washington leading 2-1, but with California threatening with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the third.

The Golden Bears picked up where they left off Sunday, as first baseman Veronica Nelson punched a two-run single through the left-side off UW pitcher Tia Bollinger (Santa Ana, Calif.), who had entered the game in relief of starter Shannon Walsh (Covina, Calif.). Cal catcher Courtney Scott then launched Bollinger's first pitch over the fence in left field for her first home run of the year, adding three more runs. Bollinger finally got leftfielder Kristen Morley to strikeout to end the inning with Cal leading 6-2.

The Huskies managed to get a runner on base in the third, fourth and sixth innings, but did not pose a serious threat until the bottom of the seventh. Pinch runner Traci Tawney (Fall City, Wash.) scored Washington's third run of the game following a sacrifice fly by senior Kelly Hauxhurst (Westminster, Calif.), to draw the Huskies to within three at 3-6. California pitcher Jen Deering then got UW sophomore Jaime Clark (Tustin, Calif.) to go down swinging to end the game with runners on first and second.

Walsh took the loss in the circle for the Huskies, falling to 4-13 overall, while Deering improved to a perfect 4-0 on the season.

Washington will play host to second-ranked UCLA, Wednesday at 2 p.m., in the first of three Pac-10 Conference games this week. The Huskies will then complete their 2001 regular season home schedule with a single game against Oregon State Friday (2 p.m.) and a pair of single games Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) versus Pac-10 foe Oregon. Saturday's game with Oregon will be broadcast live on FOX Sports Net, while all four will be broadcast by KSRB-1150 AM.