University of Washington
25-8, 0
Arizona State
27-12, 0
Washington Hits Three Homers To Power Past Arizona State
April 10, 2016 | Softball
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The No. 12-ranked University of Washington softball team knocked out three home runs to claim a 6-1 victory over No. 20 Arizona State at Farrington Stadium on Saturday night (April 9).
Senior Kimberlee Souza, freshman Morganne Flores and sophomore Krystal Aubert all bombed out home runs. Sophomore Julia DePonte also tallied an RBI as her double scored a run in the second inning.
Junior LHP Casey Stangel (5-2) earned the victory from the circle, throwing 5.1 innings, striking out three Sun Devil batters while scattering just four hits. Sophomore Madi Schreyer closed out the game, tossing the final 1.2 innings, allowing one hit while recording a strikeout. Arizona State's lone run came off a solo homer in the fourth inning.
Washington used a two-out rally to jump out to an early 2-0 lead. After junior Ali Aguilar drew her team-leading 27th walk of the season, Souza launched her eighth home run -- which is second-best on the team -- to put the Huskies on top, 2-0.
Arizona State reached on a one-out single in the bottom of the inning, but Stangel induced a pop up right back to her in the circle and doubled off the runner at first to put an end to the inning.
The Huskies scored three more runs in the second to cushion their lead, 5-0. Flores opened the frame with her fourth home run of the season and in the next at-bat, senior Courtney Gano drew a walk and Van Zee singled through the right side. After the pair advanced off a bunt, Gano was thrown out at home off Melhart's grounder to shortstop. Melhart then stole second and Van Zee scored off the throw down before DePonte's eighth double of the season scored the Huskies' third run of the inning. With two outs, Arizona State was forced to make a pitching change as Kelsey Kessler replaced starter Breanna Macha and struck out the first batter she faced.
Arizona State hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the fourth and put another runner on via an error in the infield, but she was left stranded as a ground out ended the inning.
After a three up, three down fifth for the Husky bats, Arizona State threatened in the bottom of the inning, putting a pair on via a walk and an infield single. The pair advanced off a ground out, but Stangel induced a fly out to left field to end the inning and preserve Washington's 5-1 lead.
After a one-out walk in the bottom of the sixth, Schreyer replaced Stangel in the circle. The sophomore allowed a hit before Arizona State lined into a double play for the final outs of the inning.
Aubert took just one pitch to lead off the seventh with a solo home run and the Husky defense retired Arizona State in order to end the game.
Washington goes for the series sweep tomorrow (April 10) at 3 p.m. The game will air live on Pac-12 Networks.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stangel, Casey (5-2)
L: Macha, B. (6-5)
Batting:
2B: DePonte, Julia 1
HR: Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; Flores, Morganne 1 ; Aubert, Krystal 1
RBI: DePonte, Julia 1 ; Souza, Kimberlee 2 ; Flores, Morganne 1 ; Aubert, Krystal 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Melhart, Trysten 1 ; Aguilar, Ali 1 ; Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; Flores, Morganne 1 ; Van Zee, Taylor 1 ; Aubert, Krystal 1
SB: Melhart, Trysten 1 ; Van Zee, Taylor 1
Batting:
HR: Chilson, N. 1
RBI: Chilson, N. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chilson, N. 1
