University of Washington
31-9, 3-5
Oregon
30-4, 8-1
Oregon Tops Washington In Offensive Outburst, 15-6
March 30, 2015 | Softball
EUGENE, Ore. -- In a game featuring 21 runs on 21 hits and a whole lot of home runs, Oregon (30-4, 8-1 Pac-12) got the best of the offensive explosion against Washington (31-9, 3-5 Pac-12) to earn a 15-6 win Sunday at Howe Field in the third and final game of the series. Washington fought until the end, plating six runs in the final two innings.
Kasey Stanchek (11-4) made her 17th start in the circle for the Huskies as she dueled with Oregon ace Cheridan Hawkins (15-2) for the second time this series.
All but one of the runs in the game came via the long ball as the two teams combined to hit ten home runs in the contest. Washington recorded eight hits with junior Courtney Gano and freshman Taylor Van Zee recording two RBI to lead the offense. Oregon exploded for eight homers in the game with Geri Ann Glasco hitting three for the home team.
Oregon cracked the scoreboard first in the opening frame, drawing a walk before hitting a two-run home run. The Ducks added to their lead in the second, hitting a leadoff solo shot to go on top, 3-0.
Junior Hailey Bator entered the game in the third and after Oregon hit back-to-back two-run home runs, freshman Kristin Cochran came in to pitch with one-out. The Ducks continued their offensive surge, hitting two home runs and forcing Washington to make their third pitching change of the inning as Stanchek re-entered. After a single and a walk put a pair on, Oregon hit a three-run home run to go up 13-0.
Washington responded in the fourth, joining in on the offensive onslaught with a pair of back-to-back home runs off Hawkins. Courtney Gano hit her Pac-12 leading 15th of the season before Casey Stangel jacked her fourth. Junior Kimberlee Souza continued the rally with a single through the infield but Hawkins recorded a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
The Ducks got both runs back in the bottom of the inning hitting another homer and an RBI double – the lone run in the game that didn't come off the long ball. Oregon led 15-2 after four innings of play.
The Huskies rallied for four runs in the fifth off Hawkins and reliever Karissa Hovinga. After Lahners drew her Pac-12 leading 36th walk of the season, Kirstyn Thomas came in to pinch hit and delivered her second double of the season, a gapper to left-center to score pinch runner Trysten Melhart.
The inning continued with Gano recording her 50th RBI of the season as her hit scored Thomas. After Stangel singled for her second hit of the game, Souza was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. A bloop single by freshman Taylor Van Zee scored pinch runners Dani Braun and Jennie McNeil for the third and fourth Husky runs of the inning. Oregon re-entered Hawkins to pitch the final out and she recorded a strikeout to end the Husky rally and game early.
Washington is back in action this Thursday-Saturday (April 2-4) hosting Stanford for a three-game series at Husky Softball Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hawkins, Cheridan (15-2)
L: Stanchek, Kasey (11-4)
Batting:
2B: Thomas, Kirstyn 1
HR: Gano, Courtney 1 ; Stangel, Casey 1
RBI: Thomas, Kirstyn 1 ; Gano, Courtney 2 ; Stangel, Casey 1 ; Van Zee, Taylor 2
SH: DePonte, Julia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Melhart, Trysten 1 ; Thomas, Kirstyn 1 ; Gano, Courtney 1 ; McNeill, Jennie 1 ; Stangel, Casey 1 ; Braun, Dani 1
HBP: Souza, Kimberlee 1
Batting:
2B: Mercado, Danica 1
HR: Decker, Hailey 2 ; Lilley, Jenna 1 ; Glasco, Geri Ann 3 ; Lindvall, Janelle 1 ; Udria, Nikki 1
RBI: Mercado, Danica 1 ; Decker, Hailey 5 ; Lilley, Jenna 2 ; Glasco, Geri Ann 4 ; Lindvall, Janelle 1 ; Udria, Nikki 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Gillespie, Alyssa 1 ; Mercado, Danica 3 ; Decker, Hailey 2 ; Lilley, Jenna 2 ; Glasco, Geri Ann 3 ; Lindvall, Janelle 1 ; Lindvall, Lauren 2 ; Udria, Nikki 1
SB: Lilley, Jenna 1
HBP: Mercado, Danica 1 ; Udria, Nikki 1
