University of Washington
9-2
Florida
14-0
Washington Falls To No. 1 Florida, Oklahoma State
February 27, 2016 | Softball
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – The No. 9-ranked University of Washington softball team dropped a pair of games on the first day of the Mary Nutter Classic on Friday (Feb. 26), falling narrowly to No. 1 Florida, 3-1, and Oklahoma State, 8-4, in Cathedral City, Calif.
Sophomore Trysten Melhart paced the Huskies from the plate, going 5-for-7 on the day with back-to-back multi-hit games. Fellow sophomore Taylor Van Zee posted three hits in the two-game slate and junior Ali Aguilar led the team with three RBI with a three-run home run in the fifth inning against OSU -- her fourth long ball of the season. Washington recorded eight hits against Florida which was the most the Gators have given up this season.
Freshman RHP Taran Alvelo (4-2) took both losses from the circle. Entering in the fifth against Florida, she allowed two runs off two hits and a walk and struck out two. Sophomore Madi Schreyer pitched the majority of the Florida game, allowing six hits and one run. Alvelo started in the nightcap against OSU, pitching two innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs while Schreyer entered in the third, allowing eight hits and five runs.
Washington built up an early 1-0 advantage against the defending NCAA champion Gators before giving up three unanswered runs. Florida tied the game in the bottom of the fourth and took the lead in the sixth. The Husky lead was just the second time all season that Florida had trailed.
Washington took the lead after loading the bases with no outs in the second inning. Senior Kimberlee Souza drew a leadoff walk and sophomore Taylor Van Zee singled. Freshman Tannon Snow then laid down a bunt and Florida failed to get pinch runner Jennie McNeill out at third. After a force out at home, Melhart delivered an RBI single into left field to score Van Zee and give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.
Florida recorded a single in each of the opening three frames, but Schreyer and the defense kept the base runners at bay to preserve Washington's 1-0 lead.
After the Huskies left the bases loaded in the fourth, the Gators hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom half of the frame. Florida nearly homered again in the next at-bat, but left fielder Kelly Burdick made a leaping catch over the fence to keep it locked at 1-1.
Alvelo entered the circle in the fifth inning and induced a fly out, line out and strikeout to retire the side in order. After Florida recorded a three up, three down inning for themselves, the Gators led off the sixth with a solo home run to take their first lead of the game. A hit-by-pitch and a walk put a pair on after the home run and a double plated Florida's third run.
Melhart drew a leadoff walk in the seventh, but a double play and strikeout ended the game as Florida handed Washington its second loss of the season.
The Huskies dropped the nightcap against OSU despite taking the game's first lead and getting to within one run in the fifth inning. Sophomore Julia DePonte was hit-by-pitch to lead off the second and moved into scoring position off Souza's bunt. After a groundout advanced her to third, DePonte scored off a wild pitch.
OSU tied the game on a passed ball in the second and then a two-RBI single down the line gave the Cowgirls a 3-1 lead. Oklahoma State tacked on two more runs in the third, hitting a double and scoring off an infield single. A triple down the right field line then made it a 5-1 game.
After struggling at the plate for much of the game, Washington gained some momentum in the fifth. Sophomore Krystal Aubert and Melhart reached on back-to-back bunt-singles and one out later, Aguilar homered to make it a 5-4 game. However, after a pair of singles in the sixth, OSU hit its second home run of the game, a three-run shot to go on top, 8-4.
Washington will resume competition at the Mary Nutter Classic tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 27), facing San Jose State at noon PST.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gourley (6-0)
L: Alvelo, Taran (4-1)
Batting:
RBI: Melhart, Trysten 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Van Zee, Taylor 1
Batting:
2B: Munro 1
HR: Wheaton 2
RBI: Wheaton 2 ; Munro 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wheaton 2 ; Merritt 1
SB: Merritt 1
HBP: Merritt 1
