University of Washington
31-10, 0
Utah
30-14, 0
Alvelo Blanks Utah To Claim Series Opener, 6-0
April 30, 2016 | Softball
SEATTLE – The No. 10-ranked University of Washington softball team was locked in a low-scoring pitchers' duel before exploding for five runs in the sixth to claim the series opener against Utah, 6-0.
In a fast-moving pitchers' duel, freshman Taran Alvelo (17-5) worked efficiently to claim her second career shutout. The Carroll, Ohio native allowed just three hits with no walks and six strikeouts for her seventh Pac-12 win of the season. Alvelo and the defense retired the side in order in four of the seven innings.
The Husky bats were held hitless through five innings, but a double by junior Ali Aguilar in the sixth ignited a five-run, four-hit inning. Sophomore Trysten Melhart and senior Kimberlee Souza led the offense with two runs batted in apiece.
Washington took the game's first lead, taking advantage of a leadoff error in the first inning. Aguilar reached after the first baseman misplayed a hard hit grounder and then after obstructing with the fielder, she advanced to second. Sophomore Taylor Van Zee's bunt then advanced her to third before Souza's RBI groundout gave the Dawgs a 1-0 lead.
Utah got their first baserunner of the game in the top of the third, reaching on a hit-by-pitch but she was erased after trying to steal second on freshman catcher Morganne Flores.
With the Huskies leading 1-0, Utah threatened in the sixth, hitting a one-out single and advancing to second off a groundout. In the next at-bat, the Ute's hit an infield single to Aguilar at short, but a run down at home, which was scored a 6-3-2-5-1-6, ended the inning and kept the tying run from scoring.
After Aguilar recorded Washington's first hit of the game with a leadoff double in the sixth, the Huskies went on to record three more hits while taking advantage of four Utah errors to go up for good, 6-0. Souza recorded an RBI sac-fly in the inning, while Melhart delivered a two-RBI single up the middle with the bases loaded. Flores and sophomore Julia DePonte recorded back-to-back singles to load the bases. Freshman Tannon Snow also recorded an RBI off a grounder to the second baseman.
Washington and Utah will play game two of the series tomorrow (April 30) at Husky Softball Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Alvelo, Taran (17-5)
L: Miranda Viramontes (8-5)
Base Running:
CS: Kay Kay Fronda 1
HBP: Kay Kay Fronda 1
Batting:
2B: Aguilar, Ali 1
RBI: Souza, Kimberlee 2 ; Melhart, Trysten 2 ; Snow, Tannon 1
SH: Van Zee, Taylor 2
SF: Souza, Kimberlee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Aguilar, Ali 2 ; Van Zee, Taylor 1 ; Aubert, Krystal 1 ; Milloy, Amirah 1 ; DePonte, Julia 1
