Softball Run-Rules No. 5 Stanford, 8-0

Sunday, April 2

Seattle, Wash.

1:00 PM

University of Washington

1-0, 1-0

Stanford

0-1, 0-1

Stanford

Washington

April 02, 2006 | Softball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

SEATTLE-- The 14th-ranked Washington softball team pounded 13 hits Sunday vs. fifth-ranked Stanford to defeat the Cardinal 8-0 in six-innings in front of 657 fans. UW freshman Alicia Matthews went 3-for-4 with three doubles and three RBIs, including the game ender, while sophomore Lauren Greer went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

With the win, the Huskies improve to 26-10 overall and 1-2 in the Pac-10, while Stanford dips to 27-6 overall and 1-2 in conference play.

Freshman hurler Danielle Lawrie struck out 12 Cardinal in the victory to bring her season total to 205 strikeouts in 137.1 innings. Lawrie is the fastest player in Washington history to amass 200 strikeouts, doing so in 134.2 innings. Sophomore Caitlin Noble ranks second on the list after striking out 200 batters in 138.1 innings last season. Two-time All-American Jennifer Spediacci, the only Husky to tally 200 strikeouts in three different seasons, ranks third on that list with 200 strikeouts in 148 innings in 2000.

Washington posted one run in the first inning with an RBI-double by Sarah Hyatt. The line drive into left-centerfield scored Ashley Charters who had reached base on an infield single.

Stanford threatened in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with no outs with back-to-back bunt singles and a walk but Lawrie struck out the next three batters to get out of the jam.

The Huskies tacked on three more runs in the third inning on three hits. Charters led off with a single to left field and Hyatt drew a four-pitch walk. Aimee Minor sacrificed the runners to second and third and Matthews belted a double to the centerfield wall to score two runs. Matthews scored from second base on a single through the right side by Greer to put UW on top, 4-1.

Washington posted three more runs in the fifth frame on four hits. Minor led off with a home run to left centerfield, marking her second home run of the season and 27th of her career to tie All-Americans Sara Pickering and Jenny Topping for the No. 6 spot on the UW all-time list.

Stanford made a pitching change after Minor's home run, replacing starter Becky McCullough with Laura Severson. Matthews doubled to left centerfield and scored on a double to left centerfield by Greer. Greer moved to third on a Husky ground out and scored on a bunt single by Marnie Koziol to take the 7-0 lead.

The Cardinal threatened again in the top of the fifth loading the bases again with no outs on back-to-back bunt singles and a UW error. Lawrie fanned the next three batters to get out of the inning.

Washington put the game away in the sixth inning with a lead off double by Charters and a game-ending RBI-double by Matthews, which triggered the eight-run lead mercy-rule.

Lawrie (15-6) earned the win as she held Stanford to six hits, four via the bunt, and struck out 12. McCullough (7-4) took the loss as she gave up five runs on eight hits with two strikeouts in four innings.

The Huskies continue Pac-10 action next week when they hit the road to face Arizona and Arizona State, April 7-9. Washington opens the weekend at Arizona on April 7 with a 7 p.m. game before heading to ASU for a two-game series.