University of Washington
28-7, 0
UCLA
29-5, 0
Huskies Fall To UCLA, 8-4, In Middle Game Of Series
March 23, 2015 | Softball
SEATTLE – As it did in yesterday's game, No. 11 UCLA overcame an early deficit, this time breaking open a two-run Husky lead with a five-run third inning to defeat the Huskies, 8-4 Sunday night at Husky Softball Stadium in game two of the three-game series.
Washington falls to 28-7 overall on the season with its loss, 1-3 in the Pac-12. UCLA improves to 29-5 with its win, 5-0 in the conference.
Similar to yesterday's contest, Washington took the game's first lead, plating two runs in the first inning. Junior Courtney Gano, the Pac-12 leader in RBI, hit a sacrifice fly to score freshman Taylor Van Zee who singled earlier in the frame and advanced on a fielder's choice. Sophomore Ali Aguilar moved to third on a wild pitch and came home one batter later on an infield single by senior Kelli Suguro.
After a scoreless second inning, the Bruins responded in the third, plating five runs to take the lead. UCLA led off with a single before drawing back-to-back walks to load the bases. An infield chopper scored the first Bruin run and a wild pitch tied the game. On the play, the throw back to the plate got away, which allowed another run to score and give the Bruins the lead, 3-2. UCLA scored their fourth run of the inning off a double to right-center. With no outs still in the inning, Washington lifted starting pitcher Casey Stangel in favor of game one starter Kasey Stanchek. The Bruins recorded a single to tack on one more run to take a 5-2 lead.
The Huskies threatened in the fourth drawing back-to-back one-out walks and with Kylee Lahners due up, the Bruins brought in their ace, Ally Carda to close out the game. Lahners drew her 34th walk of the season to load the bases, but Carda was able to shut down the rally, recording a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
With two outs, UCLA scored three more runs in the fifth. After back-to-back walks brought freshman Kirstyn Thomas into the circle for the Huskies, UCLA hit a sharp single off Gano's glove at first base to score a run. The Bruins followed that hit with a double to left-center to plate a pair and extend the lead to 8-2.
The Huskies attempted a rally in the seventh, scoring a pair of unearned runs. Pinch hitter Julia DePonte drew a leadoff walk before Aguilar reached on an error. The pair advanced off a wild pitch and DePonte scored off Gano's infield chopper. With Aguilar at third, Suguro recorded an RBI sac-fly to trim the Husky deficit to four runs, 8-4. The Bruins escaped the inning, however as Carda induced a pop up to end the game.
UCLA's Johanna Grauer (6-0) earned the win, tossing 1.1 innings of hitless relief, striking out one and giving up three walks. Carda recorded the save, striking out four in 3.2 innings and allowing two unearned runs.
Stangel (7-3), who made her 11th start in the circle for the Huskies, took the loss, allowing five runs on four hits and two walks with one strikeout in 2.0 innings.
The Huskies and Bruins will play the series finale, tomorrow, Monday, March 23 at Husky Softball Stadium. The game will air live on Pac-12 Networks.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grauer, Johanna (6-0)
L: Stangel, Casey (7-3)
S: Carda, Ally (3)
Batting:
2B: Spaulding, Delaney 1 ; Maurice, Gabrielle 2 ; Bennett, Allexis 1
RBI: Perez, Kylee 1 ; Spaulding, Delaney 1 ; Jelenicki, Maddy 1 ; Goulder, Gracie 1 ; Bennett, Allexis 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Carda, Ally 1 ; Perez, Kylee 1 ; Spaulding, Delaney 1 ; Maurice, Gabrielle 1 ; Corruth, Robyn 1 ; Goulder, Gracie 2 ; Bennett, Allexis 1
HBP: Carda, Ally 1
Batting:
2B: Burdick, Kelly 1
RBI: Gano, Courtney 2 ; Suguro, Kelli 2
SF: Gano, Courtney 1 ; Suguro, Kelli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Van Zee, Taylor 1 ; DePonte, Julia 1 ; Aguilar, Ali 2
