University of Washington
Texas Tech
Washington Earns 1,000 Win In Doubleheader Sweep
March 20, 2015 | General
Site: Seattle, Wash. (Husky Softball Stadium)
Scores: #18 Washington 7, Texas Tech 1; #18 Washington 8, Texas Tech 5
Records: Washington (28-5), Texas Tech (16-17)
Next UW Event: Saturday, March 21 vs. UCLA (Husky Softball Stadium), 3:30 p.m.
SEATTLE – The No. 18-ranked University of Washington softball team claimed a doubleheader sweep against Texas Tech, 7-1 and 8-5, on Thursday evening (Feb. 19) at Husky Softball Stadium. It was the Red Raiders first trip back to Seattle since 2012 when Washington shutout then No. 23 Texas Tech to advance to the Seattle Regional Championship.
With the victory, Washington softball earned its 1,000 program win in its 23rd season as an NCAA sport. Teresa Wilson, head coach from 1993-2003, earned 532 wins, Scott Centala and Steve Dailey recorded 40 in 2004 and current head coach, Heather Tarr (2005-present) has 429 total wins.
“To be able to achieve that many wins in 23 years, it just signifies how the program was built,” head coach Tarr, who was a player on the Washington softball team from 1994-1997, said. "It all started with Teresa Wilson who was my head coach. The program was built to win. It was built to last a long time.”
The Huskies broke open a two-run game with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat Texas Tech, 7-1 in the first game of the doubleheader.
In the circle, Kasey Stanchek (9-2) dueled with Texas Tech starter Cara Custer for the second time in their careers. The two, now seniors, faced each other in the 2012 regional game as freshmen. Stanchek made her first postseason appearance for Washington in that game, throwing a no-hitter through four innings to earn the win.
Stanchek, who retired 11 of the Red Raider's final 13 batters, earned the win again nearly three years later, tossing her fifth complete game of the season. She allowed just one run off three hits, four walks and five strikeouts.
The Huskies took an early 3-0 advantage after two innings of play. Senior Kylee Lahners led off with a single and scored off sophomore Ali Aguilar's Pac-12 leading 17th double of the season. Freshman Taylor Van Zee hit a two-run single in the second to score junior Jennie McNeill and Lahners who both walked earlier in the frame.
Leading 3-1 through three innings, the Washington offense was quiet until the sixth, delivering four runs to run away with the victory. Aguilar and junior Courtney Gano hit back-to-back RBI singles and the Huskies took advantage of a Red Raider error to tack on four more runs in the sixth.
Van Zee and Aguilar went 2-for-3 in the game with two RBI each to lead the Husky offense.
Texas Tech scored its only run off an RBI ground out in the top of the third as Stanchek allowed the Red Raiders just one hit over the final four innings.
Washington held on for an 8-5 victory to earn the doubleheader sweep in the second game of the night. Texas Tech (16-17) scored two runs in the seventh and threatened to add more but freshman reliever Kristin Cochran induced a groundout to earn her first save of the season.
Cochran pitched the final out as she entered with two outs in the seventh after a hit-by-pitch scored Texas Tech's second run of the frame. The Red Raiders scored off an RBI single earlier in the inning.
Washington took advantage of a pair of home runs to jump out to an early 4-0 lead in the first. Junior Courtney Gano knocked out her Pac-12 leading 13th home run of the season, a three-run shot before Kelli Suguo hit her fifth of the season.
Gano finished 1-for-3 with three RBI, marking her 13th multiple-RBI performance this season. McNeill also recorded three RBI in the game, driving a two-out, bases clearing double in the third inning. The Huskies added insurance in the fifth off freshman Julia DePonte's sacrifice fly.
Texas Tech also used the long ball to score their runs, hitting a solo home run in the fourth and a two-run blast in the sixth to trim their deficit to five, 8-3.
Freshman starter Kirstyn Thomas earned the win, tossing 5.2 innings, giving up three runs off six hits, three walks and three strikeouts. Junior Hailey Bator allowed two runs off two hits and a pair of walks over the course of an inning before Cochran entered in the seventh.
Suguro went 2-for-3 in the game, while Gano and McNeill's three RBI led the Dawgs at the plate.
Washington will continue Pac-12 play, hosting UCLA this Saturday-Monday at Husky Softball Stadium.
