University of Washington
0-1, 0-1
Arizona
1-0, 1-0
#12 Softball Swept By #1 Arizona
May 12, 2001 | Softball
May 12, 2001
TUCSON, Ariz. - The offensive power of top-ranked Arizona proved too much for 12th-ranked Washington, as the Huskies fell twice, 5-1 and 9-0 (5), Saturday in Pac-10 softball action at Rita Hillenbrand Stadium. With the two losses, the UW finished out its regular season schedule with a 37-21 record and a 11-10 mark in conference play, which was good enough for a third place tie in the Pac-10. The Wildcats, who claimed the Pac-10 title Friday with a win over UCLA, moved to 57-4 overall and 19-2 in the Pac-10.
In the first game, Arizona scored two runs in the first inning and one in the second, fifth and sixth innings. The Huskies had closed to within three runs in the top of the sixth inning when senior Kim DePaul (Tomball, Texas) reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and then came home on a double down the left field line by senior Christie Rosenblad (Fillmore, Calif.).
The UW had threatened two other times in the first game, loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the second, but Arizona pitcher Becky Lemke struck out both UW freshman Courtney Jeffries (Eugene, Ore.) and sophomore Amy Hanson (Mt. Vernon, Wash.) to end the inning. In the third, the Huskies had runners at first and second with one out, but Lemke got sophomore Jaime Clark (Tustin, Calif.) and DePaul to both fly out to centerfield.
UW freshman pitcher Tia Bollinger (Santa Ana, Calif.) took the loss to fall to 33-6, dropping her first game in her last five starts. Lemke, meanwhile, struck out 10 Husky batters to move to 17-2 in 2001.
Arizona continued its offensive success into the second game, scoring four runs in the second inning with three coming on a two-run home run by Nicole Giordano and the first coming on a solo home run by freshman catcher Mackenzie Vandeergest.
Wildcat Toni Mascarenas then added some insurance runs with a grand slam in the fourth inning, as Arizona went on to win 9-0 in five innings.
The Huskies had at least one base runner reach base in four of the five innings of the second game, but were able to get just one, freshman Rita Roach (Norwalk, Calif.), to third base.
UW junior pitcher Shannon Walsh (Covina, Calif.), making her first start in the circle since April 29, fell to 4-14 in 2001, pitching three and a third innings before giving way to reliever Megan Owen (Spokane, Wash.) mid-way through the bottom of the fourth. Arizona freshman Jenny Gladding allowed four hits to move to 13-2 with the win.
Washington will find out its fate in postseason play Sunday, when the 48-team NCAA Tournament bracket is announced beginning at 5:30 p.m. PDT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lemke (1-0)
L: Bollinger, Tia (0-1)
Batting:
2B: DePaul, Kim 1 ; Rosenblad, Christie 1
RBI: Rosenblad, Christie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DePaul, Kim 1
SB: DePaul, Kim 1 ; Oleson, Amanda 1
HBP: Clark, Jaime 1
Batting:
HR: Andrade 1
RBI: Manuma 1 ; Finch 2 ; Collins 1 ; Andrade 1
SH: Mascarenas 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bauer 2 ; Giordano 1 ; Manuma 1 ; Andrade 1
SB: Manuma 1
