Balanced Attack Paces Huskies Past Stanford

Friday, May 13

Stanford, CA

3:00 PM

University of Washington

35-13, 15-8

Stanford

13-34, 0-23

Washington

Stanford

Photo by: Washington Athletics

May 13, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

Site: Stanford, Calif. (Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium)
Scores: No. 13 Washington 5, Stanford 2
Records: Washington (35-13, 15-8 Pac-12), Stanford (13-34, 0-23 Pac-12)
Next game: Saturday, May 14 -- vs. Stanford at noon

STANFORD, Calif. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Washington softball team scored three unanswered runs late to run away with a 5-2 victory against Stanford on Friday afternoon (May 13) and clinch the series. With the game tied in the third, the Huskies provided run support in the fourth and fifth innings, scoring two in the fourth and one in the fifth.

For the 22nd time this season, the Huskies recorded double-digit hits, tallying 13 by seven different batters. Junior Casey Stangel led the team at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. Sophomore's Taylor Van Zee and Trysten Melhart each went 2-for-3 while fellow sophomore Julia DePonte hit her seventh home run of the season.

Senior LHP Hailey Bator earned her first win of the season in the circle. The Cle Elum, Wash. native entered the game in the fourth and struck out a career-high six batters while allowing just one hit in four innings pitched. Stangel made the start in the circle, allowing three hits and two runs in 3.0 innings pitched.

For the second straight game, Washington used the home run ball in the second inning to take the game's first lead. Stangel hit a leadoff single to open the frame and in the next at-bat, DePonte drove the Huskies' third home run of the series to give the Dawgs an early 2-0 advantage.

After working out of back-to-back jams in the first and second innings, Washington surrendered its first runs of the series in the bottom of the third. Stanford used a leadoff single and a hit-by-pitch to put a pair on. The Cardinal then advanced on a wild pitch and scored off an RBI single through the right side before tying the game off a fielder's choice.

The Huskies wasted little time to reclaim the lead, scoring a pair of runs in the fourth. Stangel led off the inning again with a double and after advancing to third off a fly out, freshman Tannon Snow delivered an RBI single to plate the go-ahead run. The Huskies then drew a bases loaded walk to take a 4-2 lead.

Washington tacked on another run in the fifth off Stangel's second double of the day. Freshman Morganne Flores led off the inning with a single and came home off Stangel's two bagger in the left-center gap.

The Huskies and Cardinal play the series finale tomorrow (May 14) at noon. The game will air live on Pac-12 Networks.