University of Washington
19-5, 0
Oregon
22-4, 0
Big First Inning Lifts Oregon Past Washington, 11-6
March 21, 2016 | Softball
SEATTLE -- The No. 8-ranked University of Washington softball team fell behind early in the second game of the series against Oregon, ultimately falling 11-6 on Sunday (March 20) at Husky Softball Stadium.
Washington (19-5) fell behind after Oregon (22-4) scored six runs off just two hits in the first inning. The Huskies scored three runs in the bottom of the first to trim the deficit in half and the teams battled back and forth throughout the remainder of the game, but every time the Huskies would chip away, the Ducks would answer.
The top five in the Husky order combined for nine of the team's 11 hits, including a 3-for-4 night for sophomore Trysten Melhart and junior Casey Stangel. Stangel, senior Kimberlee Souza and junior Ali Aguilar drove in two runs apiece. Aguilar hit her 13th home run of the season in the first inning. Stangel also homered in the first and now has two on the season.
Sophomore RHP Madi Schreyer (7-1) took the loss, giving up 10 runs off six hits. For the second straight night, Stangel came on in relief and did a solid job to contain the potent Oregon bats. In the final three frames, the junior only allowed two hits, including a three up, three down inning in the seventh.
Oregon loaded the bases in the first after leading off with a single and drawing back-to-back walks. The Ducks were hit-by-pitch twice to score two runs before a grand slam gave the visitors a 6-0 lead.
Washington's offense seemed unphased and came clawing back in the bottom half of the inning. Aguilar unloaded on a two-run home run after Melhart led off with an infield single. One batter later, Stangel ripped the second home run of the inning to cut the deficit in half, 6-3. The home run chased Oregon's starting pitcher, Cheridan Hawkins, out of the circle as Geri Ann Glasco came in to pitch the remainder of the game.
Gwen Svekis, who hit the grand slam in the first inning, hit her second home run of the game in the top of the third, this time a two-run shot to give the Ducks an 8-3 edge.
The Huskies got one run back in the bottom of the third as Aguilar drew a lead off walk and scored off Souza's double from first base.
Oregon responded by scoring three more runs in the fourth. After a leadoff double and a walk, Stangel entered the circle for the Huskies. With a runner at second and third, the Ducks hit a two-RBI double and then one out later, another double put Oregon on top, 11-3.
Washington fought until the very end, plating two runs in the bottom of the seventh thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles by Souza and Stangel, but the Ducks would get the next three batters in order to take game two of the series, 11-6.
The Huskies and Ducks will play the series finale tomorrow (March 21) at 7 p.m. at Husky Softball Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Glasco, Geri Ann (6-0)
L: Schreyer, Madi (7-1)
Batting:
2B: Gillespie, Alyssa 1 ; Costa, Koral 1 ; Lilley, Jenna 1 ; Decker, Hailey 1
HR: Svekis, Gwen 2
RBI: Costa, Koral 2 ; Lilley, Jenna 2 ; Lindvall, Janelle 1 ; Svekis, Gwen 6
SH: Udria, Nikki 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gillespie, Alyssa 2 ; Udria, Nikki 1 ; Costa, Koral 2 ; Glasco, Geri Ann 1 ; Lilley, Jenna 1 ; Decker, Hailey 1 ; Lindvall, Janelle 1 ; Svekis, Gwen 2
SB: Udria, Nikki 1 ; Puentes, Sammie 1
CS: Gillespie, Alyssa 1
HBP: Lilley, Jenna 1 ; Lindvall, Janelle 1 ; Mercado, Danica 1
Batting:
2B: Souza, Kimberlee 2 ; Stangel, Casey 1
HR: Aguilar, Ali 1 ; Stangel, Casey 1
RBI: Aguilar, Ali 2 ; Souza, Kimberlee 2 ; Stangel, Casey 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Melhart, Trysten 1 ; Aguilar, Ali 3 ; Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; Stangel, Casey 1
