University of Washington
21-7, 2-4
UCLA
19-10-1, 2-2-1
Washington Drops Series Finale Against UCLA, 10-8
March 26, 2016 | Softball
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The No. 10-ranked University of Washington softball team dropped the series finale against UCLA, 10-8, Saturday afternoon (March 26) at Easton Stadium. Both teams scored early and late, using just two big innings to score all of their runs.
The Huskies recorded eight hits in the game by seven different batters. Sophomore Taylor Van Zee went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and senior Kimberlee Souza recorded a team-high three RBI. Freshman Morganne Flores also tallied a pair of RBI.
Three different Washington pitchers saw time in the circle. Junior LHP Casey Stangel took the loss after she replaced starter Madi Schreyer in the first inning. Stangel gave up three hits and one run in 3.1 innings pitched. Freshman RHP Taran Alvelo entered the game after a leadoff triple in the fifth inning, giving up four earned runs on three hits.
Washington fell behind in the first inning, 5-0, but scored five runs of their own in the second to tie the game. After two scoreless frames, UCLA hit a three-run home run to break the tie in the bottom of the fifth.
After Washington was retired in order in the first, UCLA used four hits and an error to plate five runs. The Bruins reached on an infield single and was hit-by-pitch to put a pair on. One out later, a walk loaded the bases and the Bruins scored their first run of the game off a wild pitch. A line out to right field then scored another and three singles plated three more runs. Stangel entered the circle with two-outs and after walking the first batter, the junior induced a pop-up to end the inning.
Washington mirrored UCLA's bats in the next inning, scoring five runs off four hits to tie the game. Souza was hit-by-pitch to leadoff the inning and Stangel singled up the middle to put a pair on. Braun's double down the right field line then scored Souza from second to make it a 5-1 game. After freshman Tannon Snow was hit-by-pitch to load the bases, Flores and Van Zee delivered back-to-back two-RBI doubles over the head of the center fielder to tie the game.
UCLA led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a triple, which prompted a Husky pitching change as Alvelo entered the circle. The Bruins then hit a three-run home run to take an 8-5 lead and scored two more runs to go up, 10-5.
Washington came clawing back in the sixth, scoring three runs to make it a 10-8 game thanks to Souza's bases clearing single.
After a three up, three down inning for Alvelo and the Husky defense, Washington got the tying run on base in the top of the seventh, but was unable to bring them home as UCLA won the series finale, 10-8.
Washington returns home for a three-game series against Arizona this weekend (April 1-3). For more information on tickets, click here.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grauer (10-8)
L: Stangel, Casey (2-2)
Batting:
2B: DePonte, Julia 1 ; Braun, Dani 1 ; Flores, Morganne 1 ; Van Zee, Taylor 1
RBI: Souza, Kimberlee 3 ; Braun, Dani 1 ; Flores, Morganne 2 ; Van Zee, Taylor 2
SH: Flores, Morganne 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Melhart, Trysten 1 ; DePonte, Julia 1 ; Aguilar, Ali 1 ; Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; Stangel, Casey 1 ; Braun, Dani 1 ; Snow, Tannon 1 ; Flores, Morganne 1
HBP: Souza, Kimberlee 2 ; Snow, Tannon 2
Batting:
3B: Halstead 1
HR: Jelenicki 1
RBI: Perez 1 ; Halstead 1 ; Jelenicki 4 ; Tautalafua 2
SH: Shaw 1
SF: Halstead 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bennett 2 ; Perez 1 ; Sataraka 1 ; Corruth 1 ; Maurice 2 ; Jelenicki 2 ; Johnson 1
SB: Bennett 2 ; Perez 1 ; Spaulding 1
HBP: Perez 1
