University of Washington
18-3
Fresno State
15-6-1
Huskies Beat No. 24 Fresno State, Sweep Day One Of Classic
March 13, 2016 | Softball
FRESNO, Calif. – The No. 8-ranked University of Washington softball team surged past Fresno State, plating multiple runs in the first and seventh frames to claim a 12-3 decision and sweep the first day of the Fresno State Classic on Saturday (March 12) at Margie Wright Diamond. The Huskies stretch its win streak to nine games and improve to 18-3 on the year.
Junior Ali Aguilar put an exclamation on the win, knocking out a two-run homer -- her 11th of the season -- to pad Washington's lead in the seventh inning. The shortstop posted three runs batted in as part of a 2-for-5 effort. Senior's Kimberlee Souza and Jennie McNeill recorded a pair of RBI in the game and sophomore Trysten Melhart tallied three hits.
Freshman RHP Taran Alvelo (10-2) earned the win, tossing her eighth complete game of the season, allowing eight hits and two earned runs while striking out nine.
The Huskies batted around in the first, using six hits and an error to jump out to a 5-0 lead. Melhart reached on an infield single and sophomore Taylor Van Zee's double into right field scored her from first. On the play, Van Zee advanced to third off an error by the right fielder and then scored off a throwing error by the first baseman. In the next at-bat, Aguilar singled, sophomore Julia DePonte reached on a fielder's choice and the pair advanced off a wild pitch. Souza's single then scored them both to give the Huskies a 4-0 lead and force Fresno State to make a pitching change. The inning continued as freshman Morganne Flores' single put runners at first and second and McNeill's hit to left field scored Souza for the fifth run of the inning.
Fresno State got one run back in the bottom of the first, reaching on an infield error and then scoring off a double. After a scoreless top of the second, the Bulldogs hit a two-run home run in the home half of the inning to trim its deficit to two runs, 5-3.
After a scoreless third, fourth and fifth, Washington scored seven unanswered runs in the final two frames to runaway with the victory. In the sixth, a trio of sophomores started the rally. Kelly Burdick reached on an infield error, Melhart singled and Van Zee's bunt advanced the pair. Aguilar's RBI groundout to first base then scored Burdick from third.
A monstrous seventh inning for the Husky bats added six more runs. After a pair of back-to-back walks and a sac-bunt by freshman Tannon Snow, McNeill's bunt plated pinch runner Amirah Milloy for the first run of the inning. Burdick and Melhart then hit back-to-back singles to score two more and Van Zee's bunt scored Burdick. Aguilar then delivered her 11th homer of the season to give Washington the 12-3 win.
The Huskies are back in action tomorrow (March 13) against Weber State at 11:30 a.m. and CSU Bakersfield at 2 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Alvelo, Taran (10-2)
L: LANGDON, T (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Van Zee, Taylor 1
HR: Aguilar, Ali 1
RBI: Melhart, Trysten 1 ; Van Zee, Taylor 1 ; Aguilar, Ali 3 ; Souza, Kimberlee 2 ; McNeill, Jennie 2 ; Burdick, Kelly 1
SH: Van Zee, Taylor 1 ; Snow, Tannon 1 ; McNeill, Jennie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Melhart, Trysten 1 ; Van Zee, Taylor 2 ; Aguilar, Ali 2 ; DePonte, Julia 1 ; Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; Milloy, Amirah 1 ; Braun, Dani 1 ; McNeill, Jennie 1 ; Burdick, Kelly 2
SB: DePonte, Julia 1
Batting:
2B: WILLIS, K 1
HR: GUMZ, P 1
RBI: WILLIS, K 1 ; GUMZ, P 2
Base Running:
RUNS: KENNEDY, B 1 ; WILLMON, L 1 ; GUMZ, P 1
CS: RODRIGUEZ, C 1
