University of Washington
28-8, 0
California
20-17-1, 0
Washington Holds On To Beat Cal, 2-1
April 16, 2016 | Softball
SEATTLE -- Sophomore third baseman Julia DePonte's single in the fourth inning and relentless defense lifted the No. 9-ranked University of Washington softball team to its seventh consecutive victory, as the Huskies battled past Cal 2-1 Saturday afternoon (April 16) in front of a sellout crowd at Husky Softball Stadium.
In another pitchers duel, it was Washington starter Taran Alvelo who came away victorious, throwing 6.1 innings, allowing six hits while striking out seven. Alvelo threw 105 pitches and 77 of those were strikes. After a leadoff single in the seventh inning, junior Casey Stangel came in to pitch for two outs before Alvelo re-entered to pitch the final out of the game.
DePonte led the Husky offense, going 3-for-3 with a run batted in. Fellow sophomore Trysten Melhart went 2-for-4 with a run scored while senior Kimberlee Souza recorded a hit and an RBI.
Washington scored a of run in the first inning, improving to 21-2 on the season when scoring in the first frame. Melhart and sophomore Taylor Van Zee smacked back-to-back singles and advanced off junior Ali Aguilar's bunt. Melhart then scored off Souza's RBI groundout to the second baseman.
Alvelo and the defense retired the Cal batters in order in the opening two innings before the Bears took advantage of a walk and a hit to tie the game, 1-1, in the third. After drawing a leadoff walk, Cal stole second and scored off a single up the middle.
The tie was shortlived as the Huskies recalimed the lead in the home half of the inning. After a strikeout, Souza hit a single and advanced to second off a wild pitch. Stangel then drew a walk and one out later, DePonte's single through the left side scored speedy pinch runner Amirah Milloy from second.
Cal threatened in the fourth and fifth innings, leaving four runners on base. Alvelo picked up a big strikeout to end the fourth and after the Bears hit back-to-back singles in the fifth, the freshman won the battle again, inducing a pop up and a groundout to end the inning.
With Washington leading 2-1 in the seventh, Cal loaded the bases to make things interesting. Stangel entered the circle after a leadoff single and after a grounder to Aguilar got the lead runner out at second, the Bears reached on a bunt-single to put a pair on. In the next at-bat, Aguilar's glove saved a run from scoring. The shortstop reached to her left to grab a ball hit up the middle and flipped it to second for the second out. Alvelo then re-entered the game and Cal walked to load the bases, but a sharp hit grounder to DePonte at third base ended it as Washington claimed its seventh win in a row.
The Huskies and Bears will play the series finale tomorrow (April 16) at noon at Husky Softball Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Alvelo, Taran (14-5)
L: Sutherland-Finch, K (2-4)
Batting:
RBI: Jackson, Jazmyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rood, Lindsay 1
SB: Rood, Lindsay 1
Batting:
RBI: Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; DePonte, Julia 1
SH: Aguilar, Ali 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Melhart, Trysten 1 ; Milloy, Amirah 1
