Washington Falls To Cal In Series Opener, 5-3

Friday, April 24

Berkeley, CA

3:00 PM

University of Washington

36-12, 0

California

33-12, 0

Washington

CAL

April 24, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

BERKELEY, Calif. – The Huskies held a 2-1 lead in the third inning, but Cal used timely hitting, including a pair of home runs, to battle back and take game one of the series, 5-3.

Washington now is 36-12 overall on the year, 7-8 in the Pac-12 while Cal improves to 33-12 on the year, 6-10 in the league.

The Huskies threatened first in the opening frame, but it was Cal that put the game's first runs on the board in the bottom half of the inning. After freshman Taylor Van Zee drew a one-out walk, junior Courtney Gano smoked a two-out single to advance her into scoring position before Cal starter Katie Sutherland-Finch escaped the inning. Then, in the bottom half of the inning, Cal used a two-out rally to score the first run of the game. The Golden Bears drew a walk before roping a double in the left-center gap to go on top, 1-0.

After senior starter Kasey Stanchek and the Husky defense retired the side in order in the second, the offense rode that momentum into the third, scoring a pair of runs to stake out to a 2-1 lead.

Senior Kylee Lahners drew a walk to open the frame and Van Zee reached on an infield error. The pair advanced to second and third off an illegal pitch and another Cal error scored Lahners which tied the game at 1-1. With two outs, junior Kimberlee Souza's single drove home Van Zee from third and the Huskies took a 2-1 advantage.

Cal used a pair of home runs in the bottom half of the inning to score three runs and take back the lead. The Golden Bears opened the frame with a solo home run to tie the game and after a single kept the rally alive, Cal hit a two-run shot to go on top, 4-2.

The Huskies threatened in the fourth after junior Jennie McNeill hit a one-out single and Lahners drew her second walk of the game. Van Zee then ripped a hit that ricocheted off the pitcher and took an unlucky bounce directly in front of the second baseman who easily tagged Lahners for the second out of the inning. A fly out ended the inning as the Huskies stranded the tying run on base.

Following a three up, three down fourth inning for the Husky defense, Washington's high-powered offense scuffled against Cal starter Sutherland-Finch, going down in order in the fifth and sixth frames. In the bottom of the fifth, the Bears took advantage of a hit-by-pitch and a single before scoring off a sac-fly to take a 5-2 edge.

Lahners gave the Huskies life in the seventh, delivering her 13^th home run of the season, but the next three batters were retired and Cal took game one of the series, 5-3.

Washington and Cal will play game two of the three-game series tomorrow (April 25). First pitch is set for 1 p.m.