Washington's Season Comes To Close At Tuscaloosa Regional

Sunday, May 17

Tuscaloosa, AL

10:00 AM

University of Washington

42-17

Alabama

45-12

Alabama

Washington

Washington's Season Comes To Close At Tuscaloosa Regional

May 17, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Washington's 2015 season came to a close Sunday at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional following an 11-1 loss to No. 6 overall seed and Region host Alabama at Rhoads Stadium.

Washington concludes the season with a 42-17 overall record after qualifying for its 22nd straight NCAA Tournament. It was an historic season with many milestones surpassed as this 2015 team broke several single season records at Washington: home runs (86), runs (460), RBI (418) and walks (269).

With the Huskies the home team for this game at Alabama's home park, the Tide had the first at-bats and took the game's first lead. With one out against Husky starter Kasey Stanchek, Alabama's Haylie McCleney drove one deep to right-center for the first of Alabama's four home runs in the game.

The Tide added to their lead in the second with two runs on two hits. With a pair in scoring position and two outs, an infield single allowed one run to score and in the next at-bat, Alabama scored on a passed ball to take a 3-0 lead. Following a walk in the next at-bat, junior Hailey Bator entered the circle in relief, getting a groundout to end the frame and keep the Husky deficit to just three runs.

The Huskies faced Alabama starting pitcher Alexis Osorio for the second time this weekend and similar to the first game, the freshman kept Washington's potent bats at bay. In the opening two innings, the Tide recorded three up, three down frames until junior Jennie McNeill reached in the third, legging out an infield single, but that was all as Osorio induced a pop up to end the inning.

After Bator forced two quick outs in the fourth, McCleney unloaded on her second home run of the game to put the Tide up, 7-0.

Washington finally cracked the scoreboard in the fourth as freshman Taylor Van Zee reached second base on a throwing error and a fly out advanced her 60 feet away from home plate. Sophomore Casey Stangel then delivered an RBI single over the right side of the infield to plate Van Zee.

With the Tide leading 7-1 in the sixth, the Huskies were facing run-rule territory as Alabama used a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases. After junior Courtney Gano got the force out at home for the first out, a bases loaded walk made it an 8-1 game. With the bases still loaded and one out, the Tide hit a fly ball to center field which looked to score a run but senior Kylee Lahners hosed down the runner at home to keep the Tide to within seven runs and her outstanding career alive an extra inning.

Alabama plated three more in the top of the seventh, scoring off a sac-fly and a two-run home run.

Washington put a pair of base runners on in the seventh as Stangel drew a leadoff walk and pinch hitter Dani Braun reached on an error, however Osorio retired the next three batters to end the game and an historic 2015 season for Washington softball.