University of Washington
20-4
Husky Classic: Seattle University
7-14
Lahners' Walk-Off Highlights Home Opener
March 07, 2015 | Softball
SEATTLE – Washington (21-4) softball could not have asked for a more thrilling opening night at Husky Softball Stadium, run-ruling Seattle University, 17-1 before an exhilarating come-from-behind victory over Cal State Northridge, 9-8, Friday night in the first day of the Husky Classic.
In the leadoff spot, senior Kylee Lahners matched her career-high with four hits and three runs scored, while tallying a career-best seven RBI and three doubles against Seattle University. In the win, Lahners launched her sixth home run of the season to move into third all-time in Husky softball history with 44 career home runs. To try and top that performance, in the next game against CSUN, Lahners hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning to spark the team to a thrilling come-from-behind victory.
“It's a special thing for this team to find a way to come back and win," head coach Heather Tarr said. "Other teams may fold and give in, but the fact that we had each other's backs and knew that we could come back is a special thing for this team. Battling back-and-forth against a really great Cal State Northridge team and going through the drama in the seventh inning -- losing the lead and fighting back -- that's a really great lesson for this team and now we know that we can do it."
The Huskies' 17 runs against the Redhawks (7-14) are the most runs scored by the squad this season. The Washington offense only needed four innings to post 14 hits in the run-rule victory, led by Lahners. Sophomore Ali Aguilar recorded four RBI on three hits, including her seventh home run of the season. Junior Courtney Gano also tallied four RBI while knocking out her team-leading tenth homer of the season in the fourth.
In the first Washington at-bat at home this season, Lahners hit a double and the senior went on to go 7-for-9 on the day to lead the Husky offense.
Typical of Husky offense, the Dawgs pounced early to take the lead. After loading the bases with no outs in the first, a pair of RBI groundouts from Gano and sophomore Casey Stangel put Washington on top, 2-0.
Seattle trimmed their deficit in half after hitting a two-out double and a single made it a 2-1 game. However, the Husky offense went on to score 15 unanswered runs. Sparked by Lahners' 44th career home run in the second inning to put the Dawgs on top, 5-1. Aguilar followed suit, smacking her seventh home run of the season in the second.
The Huskies went on to plate three more runs in the third and seven in the fourth to clinch the run-rule victory.
Stangel (5-1) tossed all five innings, allowing just one run on five hits and recording two strikeouts.
Washington showed true character in the second game of the night, falling behind three times, but never backed down, tying the game in the second, plating three runs to take the lead in the fifth and ultimately scoring five runs in the seventh to win, 9-8.
Trailing 2-1 in the fifth, Lahners hit a single to put the tying run on with no outs. Pinch runner Kelly Burdick advanced off Taylor Van Zee's bunt and Aguilar's single scored the tying run. The Dawgs then took a 4-2 lead off Kelli Suguro's double.
CSUN drew a lead off walk and trimmed their deficit to just one run after a double plated a Matador run.
The Dawgs entered the seventh inning leading 4-3, but after CSUN led off with a hit and a bunt-single put a pair on, the Huskies went to the bullpen for freshman Courtney Schwan. CSUN hit a single up the middle to tie the game 4-4 and a bases clearing double put the Maradors on top, 7-4. After Stanchek re-entered the game, CSUN doubled to take an 8-4 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh.
With one-out, back-to-back singles by Aguilar and Gano ignited the Husky rally. A double off the wall by Stangel scored Aguilar. Suguro then drew a walk to load the bases and freshman Julia DePonte's grounder to second scored a run as the second baseman threw it into the runner. With the bases loaded, junior Jennie McNeill drew a walk to score another run as the Dawgs trailed by just one, 8-7.
A pop up brought the Huskies down to their final out, but Washington couldn't have drawn it up any better as Lahners – whose .514 average leads the team – came to the plate. With the count 2-2, Lahners lined a single to score Suguro and pinch runner Kelly Meggs for the victory, 9-8.
The Huskies continue play in the Husky Classic tomorrow (Saturday) with matchups against Miami University and Ohio State at 5 and 7:15 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stangel, Casey (5-1)
L: Davis, Lindsay (1-4)
Batting:
2B: Shuster-Gonzales, K. 1
RBI: Dominguez, Sara 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shuster-Gonzales, K. 1
Batting:
2B: Lahners, Kylee 3 ; Aguilar, Ali 1 ; Stangel, Casey 1
3B: Braun, Dani 1
HR: Lahners, Kylee 1 ; Aguilar, Ali 1 ; Gano, Courtney 1
RBI: Lahners, Kylee 7 ; Aguilar, Ali 4 ; Gano, Courtney 4 ; Stangel, Casey 1 ; DePonte, Julia 1
SF: Gano, Courtney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lahners, Kylee 3 ; Burdick, Kelly 1 ; Van Zee, Taylor 3 ; Aguilar, Ali 2 ; Gano, Courtney 1 ; Stangel, Casey 1 ; Suguro, Kelli 1 ; Braun, Dani 1 ; DePonte, Julia 1 ; Melhart, Trysten 2 ; McNeill, Jennie 1
SB: McNeill, Jennie 1
HBP: Van Zee, Taylor 1
