Huskies Sweep Twinbill To Go Undefeated In Husky Classic

Sunday, March 6

Seattle, WA

11:15 AM

University of Washington

15-3

Montana

Washington

Photo by: Washington Athletics

Huskies Sweep Twinbill To Go Undefeated In Husky Classic

March 07, 2016 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Washington Athletics

Site: Seattle, Wash. (Husky Softball Stadium)
Event: Husky Classic (Day 3)
Score: No. 8 Washington 12, Montana 2 (5); No. 8 Washington 8, Kent State 1

SEATTLE -- The No. 8-ranked University of Washington softball team earned a pair of lopsided victories, defeating Montana, 12-2 in five innings, and Kent State, 8-1, on the final day of the Husky Classic (March 6) at Husky Softball Stadium. Washington went undefeated (4-0) in the Classic, outscoring opponents, 43-4.

Junior Casey Stangel RHP (2-1) and freshman RHP Taran Alvelo (9-2) both tossed complete-game victories in the final day. Stangel fanned a season-high five and allowed three hits and two runs against Montana, while Alvelo struck out six and gave up two hits and four walks through seven innings against Kent State.

The Huskies used another balanced attack at the plate, recording double-digit hits in both games. Junior Ali Aguilar hit three home runs on the day, including two against Montana. The shortstop posted a team-high six RBI in the contest. Senior catcher Kimberlee Souza tallied four hits with five RBI on the day, knocking out her fifth homer of the season against Kent State. Sophomore Taylor Van Zee posted a pair of home runs against KSU and recorded four RBI on the day.

Washington, who is 13-1 when scoring in the first inning, scored in the opening frame in both games. Sophomore Trysten Melhart led off with a single against Montana and she would later come home off senior Courtney Gano's RBI single. With a runner on second and third, Souza then delivered a sac-fly to put the Huskies up, 2-0.

Washington used a two-out rally in the second to plate two more runs. Van Zee reached on a bunt-single before Aguilar delivered her first home run of the day.

After a scoreless third, the Huskies tacked on four more runs in the fourth. Aguilar and Stangel each recorded a pair of RBI before Souza knocked out a two-run home run.

Trailing 8-0 in the fifth, Montana scored a pair of runs to push the game out of run-rule territory, leading off with a single to start the rally. After a groundout and passed ball advanced the runner, the Grizzlies scored off a single and another run came home off a sac-fly.

Senior Dani Braun led off the fifth with a double and later scored off Van Zee's sac-fly and Aguilar's second home run of the game, a three-run shot, ended the game early, 12-2, in five innings.

In the second game of the day against Kent State, the Dawgs tallied 12 hits from nine different batters. Washington recorded four home runs in the contest, including two from Van Zee.

Aguilar ignited the home run derby in the first, hitting a solo long ball with two outs to give the Dawgs another early advantage. Kent State tied the game in the third in similar fashion, hitting a solo home run with two outs.

However, Washington went on to plate seven unanswered runs, including five in the third. After Melhart singled to lead off, Van Zee smoked her first home run of the game. Three batters later, Souza delivered the second home run of the inning, also scoring Aguilar who reached on an error. Freshman Morganne Flores continued the inning with a double and pinch runner Nina Kim came home off senior Jennie McNeill's single.

Gano's RBI single in the fourth plated Washington's seventh run of the game before Van Zee led off the sixth with a solo home run to give the Huskies the 8-1 win.

Washington is back in action next week (March 11-13), traveling to Fresno, Calif. for five games in the Fresno State Tournament.