Huskies Beat Arizona State In 13 Innings To Open Pac-12 Play

Friday, March 13

Seattle, WA

5:00 PM

University of Washington

26-4, 0

Arizona State

19-9, 0

Arizona State

Washington

Photo by: Washington Athletics

Huskies Beat Arizona State In 13 Innings To Open Pac-12 Play

March 14, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

SEATTLE -- After three hours and 56 minutes, 13 innings and 214 combined pitches by Husky starter Kasey Stanchek and reliever Casey Stangel, the Huskies still had enough gas in the tank to win the first Pac-12 game of the season. After going six innings without recording a hit, the Huskies strung together two singles in the bottom of the 13th inning to defeat No. 22 Arizona State 8-7 at Husky Softball Stadium Friday night.

The first match-up of a three-game series between two of the most explosive offensive teams in the Pac-12 lived up to the hype – and then some – recording the longest (inning wise) Washington game since 2009 when Danielle Lawrie struck out a school-record 24 batters in 15 innings vs. UMass. The first game of the series had it all, including game-saving defensive plays and as per usual, clutch-hitting by the Huskies.

Pinch runner Kelly Meggs scored after an error following an Ali Aguilar single in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the Huskies their 26th win of the season.

Casey Stangel earned the win for the Dawgs, improving to 7-1 on the season, while Dale Ryndak took the loss (8-3). Both pitchers entered the game in replace of the starters, Kasey Stanchek and Breanna Macha.

With the game locked 7-7 in the seventh, the Huskies and Sun Devils went on to play six more innings before the Huskies finally broke through. Arizona State loaded the bases in the 10th and 12th innings but the Husky defense buckled down, making several clutch plays to keep the Devils from scoring.

The Huskies made noise in the eighth, loading the bases after ASU made a pitching change and brought Ryndak into the game. Washington put runners on the corners after Courtney Gano smacked a well hit ball into centerfield that had to be chased down. Stangel then drew a walk to load the bases but a ground out ended the inning.

The Dawgs finally broke through in the 13th after Lahners led off with a single and Meggs pinch ran for her. Taylor Van Zee was hit by pitch to advance the winning run into scoring position for Aguilar, who went 4-for-6 in the game. Aguilar's single to right field was juggled, allowing Meggs to come home and plate the winning run.

Washington was one out away from winning the game in the seventh inning but Arizona State rallied and scored two runs to tie the game. The Sun Devils hit back-to-back singles before a double in the gap scored a run. ASU then walked to load the bases and scored the tying run off an error.

ASU jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first, hitting a two-run home run. The Dawgs responded, however, hitting two home runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, including Lahners' seventh of the season and Stangel's third, a two-run shot to put Washington on top, 3-2.

In the third inning, ASU hit a lead off-double and a fielder's choice put runners on the corners with no outs. A double cleared the bases as ASU went back on top, 4-3. A wild pitch moved the runner to third and a fielder's choice plated the third Devil run of the half-inning and ASU took a 5-3 lead.

As it's done all season long, the Husky offense responded. Aguilar hit a lead off single and Gano followed with a hit up the middle to put runners on the corners for Stangel. After a walk loaded the bases, a fielder's choice plated Aguilar before Suguro delivered her fourth home run of the season to give the Huskies a 6-5 edge.

The Huskies plated another run in the fourth after Aguilar hit a two-out single to plate Lahners who drew her second walk of the game to give the Huskies a 7-5 lead.

Washington and Arizona State will play game two of the three-game series tomorrow, March 14 at 4 p.m. at Husky Softball Stadium.