Dawgs Shutout #5 Florida State 7-0

Friday, February 14

Clearwater, FL

10:00 AM

University of Washington

7-1

Florida State

6-1

Florida State

Washington

Photo by: Red Box Pictures

February 14, 2020 | Softball

Box Score Box Score

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The #1 Washington Huskies bounced back and shutout the #5 Florida State Seminoles 7-0. It was an all-around dominant performance from Kelley Lynch in the circle and at the plate as she became only the second Husky freshman ever to homer in a game and earn the win in a shutout. Lynch joins Kaitlin Inglesby in that regard, with Inglesby doing so twice in 2011, against #8 Arizona and against Fresno State.

In the circle, Lynch threw 5.1 innings, with Gabbie Plain entering the game with two on and one out in the sixth. Plain got two strikeouts on just nine pitches to end that threat, then finished the game out with a scoreless seventh. Lynch and Plain would combine to hold Florida State to 1-for-19 hitting with runners on base and struck out nine.

In the first inning, Emma Helm made a great play on a wild pitch, pouncing on it at the backstop and getting it to Lynch at the plate for the inning's last out, saving a run. Lynch also worked her way around a bases-loaded, no-outs situation in the third inning, getting an infield popup and two strikeouts to end what appeared to be a Florida State rally.

Washington rode two big home runs, from Lynch and SilentRain Espinoza, to take the lead. Lynch would drive in another run later in the game with a walk. Sami Reynolds and Jadelyn Allchin joined Espinoza with two-hit days, with Allchin also scoring two runs.

.@kelleylynch27 + SilentRain Espinoza = ????

They helped lead @UWSoftball to a 7-0 victory over FSU. #Pac12SB pic.twitter.com/QjTUhuJMEi
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) February 14, 2020

		SCORING
Second Inning: The Huskies came up big under pressure: with two runners on, two outs, and a full count, Lynch hit her first career home run, a no-doubter off the bat over the leftfield wall. Fourth Inning: Another Husky homer, this one from Espinoza, made it 4-0 when she led off the inning with a bomb over the centerfield wall. Fifth Inning: With Atlee on third after a triple, Flores dropped down a surprise squeeze bunt. Atlee easily made it home before Florida State could even attempt a play there, making it 5-0. Sixth Inning: Washington's first four batters all reached safely, via singles by Espinoza and Allchin and walks by Helm and Lynch. An error brought another runner in soon thereafter.

		NOTES
Two of Espinoza's (2x3, HR) three career home runs have come against top-five opponents. Lynch (5.1 IP, 0 R, 6 K, HR) became the first Husky to homer in a game against a top-five opponent since Madison Huskey did last March against #1 UCLA. The last Husky to homer and earn the win in the same game before Lynch did today was Casey Stangel against Arizona on April 3, 2016. Lynch was the first Husky freshman to start against a top-five opponent since Plain did so and defeated #1 Oregon in the 2018 Women's College World series. Reynolds (2x4, 2B) has three multi-hit games in her last four played.

Washington will play one more game today, against Liberty at 4:00 pm PT on ESPN 3.

Make sure to follow Husky Softball on Twitter with the username @UWSoftball and on Instagram at uwsoftball.