Huskies Rally Late To Advance To Regional Final

Saturday, May 21

Seattle, WA

2:00 PM

University of Washington

38-13

Minnesota

42-13

Minnesota

Washington

Photo by: Washington Athletics

May 22, 2016 | Softball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

Photo Gallery | Video Highlights

SEATTLE -- Sophomore Taylor Van Zee hit a two-out bases clearing double in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift the No. 12-ranked University of Washington softball team over Minnesota, 5-2, on Saturday (May 21) at Husky Softball Stadium. With the win, the Huskies advance to play either Minnesota or North Dakota State in the regional final tomorrow at noon.

Van Zee led the offense, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three runs batted in. Senior Kimberlee Souza and sophomore Julia DePonte also registered an RBI while senior Dani Braun went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Senior Hailey Bator came on in relief to earn her second win of the season, throwing the final 1.2 innings, allowing one hit and a walk. Sophomore Madi Schreyer threw 5.1 stellar innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out a pair.

Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Washington used a two-out rally to explode for four runs. After two consecutive strikeouts, Braun singled to ignite the rally. Sophomore Trysten Melhart then drew a walk and Aguilar was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. In the next at-bat, Van Zee drove the 2-2 count to the gap in right-center which cleared the bases and gave the Huskies a 4-2 lead. The inning continues as Souza followed suit with an RBI single to plate Van Zee from second.

The Huskies took the game's first lead in the first inning, improving to 24-0 on the season when leading after the first frame. Van Zee started that rally, reaching on a one-out infield single and an out later, junior Casey Stangel's hit put a pair on. DePonte's RBI single then scored Van Zee.

Minnesota tied the game in the fourth after two scoreless innings. The Gophers used a walk and a fielding error to put runners at second and third and in the next at-bat, an RBI single locked the game at 1-1.

With the game still tied in the sixth, Minnesota drew a one-out walk, which prompted a Husky pitching change as Bator replaced Schreyer in the circle. After a walk put a pair on, Bator induced a pop up for the second out and in the next at-bat the Gophers hit an RBI single to take its first lead of the game, 2-1.

After Washington's four run sixth, Bator and the defense retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to advance to the regional final tomorrow (May 22) at noon.