No. 3 Arizona Comes From Behind To Defeat Huskies In Eight Innings, 5-4

Saturday, May 12

Tucson, Ariz.

1:00 PM

University of Washington

0-1, 0-1

Arizona

1-0, 1-0

Washington

Arizona

Photo by: Washington Athletics

No. 3 Arizona Comes From Behind To Defeat Huskies In Eight Innings, 5-4

May 12, 2007 | Softball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

May 12, 2007

Box Score

TUCSON, Ariz.-- The third-ranked Arizona softball team came back from a three-run deficit to defeat No. 11 Washington 5-4 Saturday in the Pac-10 finale. The Huskies (35-16) finish the Pac-10 season in third place with a 12-9 record, marking its highest conference finish since 2002 (13-8, third). The Wildcats (39-12-1, 15-5-1) conclude the regular season as Pac-10 Champions and have an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats jumped on the scoreboard with one run in the first inning on a hit and a sacrifice fly. Senior speedster Caitlin Lowe led off with a bunt single, stole second base and moved to third on a ground out to the right side. Jenae Leles then hit a sacrifice to right field that allowed Lowe to score and give UA the 1-0 lead.

Washington put runners on base in each of the first three innings and finally broke through in the fourth with a two-run home run by junior Lauren Greer to take the 2-1 lead. The home run marked the fifth for Greer this season and her fourth in Pac-10 play. The shot also scored Alicia Matthews who had reached base after being hit by a pitch.

Junior hurler Caitlin Noble didn't allow a hit after Lowe's first inning single until Lowe singled to centerfield in the fifth. Noble got a ground out to second base to end the inning.

Washington added a couple of insurance runs in the sixth inning on a pair of hits to extend its lead to 4-1. Sophomore Danielle Lawrie got the rally started with a solo home run over the left-centerfield wall, marking her ninth homer of the season and second in as many days. Matthews followed with a walk before Greer blasted her team-leading 13th double of the season into the left field corner to score pinch runner Amanda Fleischman.

Arizona answered in the bottom of the sixth using three consecutive singles from Kristie Fox, Leles and Callista Balko to score a run and trigger a Washington pitching change. Lawrie entered the game in relief and gave up a sacrifice fly to Sarah Akamine that was caught in foul territory in left field. K'Lee Arredondo then laced a double to left-centerfield to score Balko and even the score at 4-4.

The Huskies threatened in the top of the seventh when Marnie Koziol picked up her third hit of the day and moved to second base on a wild pitch. Senior Dena Tyson then crushed a fly ball to centerfield that Lowe ran down at the wall for the third out of the inning.

The Wildcats put their own rally together in the bottom of the seventh, putting runners on second and third after a pair of walks but Lawrie used a strikeout to get out of the jam.

Washington again threatened in the eighth with a walk to Lawrie and pinch hit single by Ashlyn Watson but Taryne Mowatt froze Nicole Moojen on strikes to end the inning.

Arizona put the game away in the bottom of the eighth when Sam Banister took a 2-2 offering a put it over the left field wall for a game-winning, walk-off home run.

Lawrie (24-10) takes the loss as she allowed one run on two hits in 1.2 innings with one strikeout. Noble allowed four runs on five hits in 5.1 innings with five strikeouts. Noble now has 603 career strikeouts, becoming just the fifth player in program history to amass 600 strikeouts.

Mowatt (31-9) picked up the win as she held Washington to four runs on nine hits with nine strikeouts.

The Huskies will learn their postseason fate on Sunday when the NCAA announces the 64-team field on ESPNews between noon and 1 p.m. The sixteen regional sites will be announced at that time. Washington has made 13 appearances in the NCAA Tournament in the last 14 years, including seven trips to the Women's College World Series.