Washington Softball Drops To California In NIST Championship

Sunday, March 14

San Jose, CA

TBA

University of Washington

0-1

California

1-0

Washington

California

Washington Softball Drops To California In NIST Championship

March 14, 2004 | Softball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

March 14, 2004

SUNNYVALE, Calif.- The No. 8 Washington softball team (17-6) dropped to No. 3 California (26-3) 5-4 in the championship game of the National Invitational Softball Tournament this afternoon at the Twin Creeks Sports Complex.

The Golden Bears broke open a scoreless game with four runs in the third inning. A single and a catcher's interference call put runners on first and second when Haley Woods hit a home run over the left field fence. Three more Cal singles plated Chelsea Spencer to put California on top 4-0.

The Huskies roared back in the fifth frame, scoring three runs on four hits and a Cal error. Courtney Jeffries kicked off the rally with a single to left centerfield and scored on a double by Dominique Lastrapes. Sarah Hyatt then hit her fifth home run of the year with a towering shot to left field to cut Cal's lead to one at 4-3.

The Golden Bears scored an insurance run in the bottom half of the fifth when Spencer singled, was sacrificed to second base and scored on a Husky fielding error.

Washington answered in the sixth inning on two hits. Amanda Oleson singled through the right side of the infield and Jeffries followed with a walk. Lastrapes then poked a single into centerfield to score Oleson and make the score 5-4.

The Huskies threatened in the seventh inning, placing runners on first and second with one out by Cal hurler Kelly Anderson got UW to ground into a double play to end the game.

Ashley Boek (9-3) took the tough loss for the Dawgs, finishing the tournament with a 4-1 record, including three shutouts. She notched eight strikeouts against the Golden Bears.