University of Washington
28-6, 0
Texas Tech
28-5, 0
Early Lead Vanishes in 10-3 Loss To No. 11 UCLA
March 21, 2015 | Softball
SEATTLE – No. 18 Washington opened an early lead against No. 11 UCLA on Saturday afternoon in the first of a three-game series at Husky Softball Stadium, but the Bruins stormed back aided by 10 unanswered runs late in the game for a 10-3 win over the Huskies.
With Washington starter Kasey Stanchek throwing a no-hitter through four innings, UCLA, who leads the Pac-12 with a .370 team batting average, finally broke through in the fifth with a three-run home run to tie the game 3-3. The Bruins went on to plate seven runs in the sixth.
UCLA, who have won 14 in a row, improves to 28-5 and 4-0 in the Pac-12 with its win while Washington now is 28-6 and 1-2 in league play following its loss.
In the leadoff spot, Kylee Lahners launched her ninth homerun of the season in the first inning to give the Huskies a 1-0 advantage. Washington used their discipline at the plate and timely hitting to add two more runs in the third. With one out, Lahners drew a walk, and one out later, Ali Aguilar singled. Junior Courtney Gano joined them on base via a four-pitch walk and with the bases loaded, sophomore Casey Stangel delivered a two-RBI single to bring home Lahners and Aguilar for a 3-0 Washington lead.
UCLA had a batter reach in each of the opening three innings, including a leadoff runner in the first, but each time, Stanchek countered to keep the Bruins off the scoreboard and preserve the Husky lead.
After retiring the side in order in the fourth, UCLA finally got to Stanchek in the fifth with two-outs. After not allowing a single Bruin hit against her, Delaney Spaulding hit the three-run home run to tie the game. UCLA drew a leadoff walk and a fielder's choice put a pair on earlier in the frame.
After the inning, Washington lifted Stanchek for junior Hailey Bator to begin the sixth. With the game locked at 3-3, the Bruins drew back-to-back walks before delivering back-to-back singles to take a 5-3 lead. With a pair of runners on and no outs, freshman pitcher Kirstyn Thomas was brought into the game. A pair of hits and an error scored four more Bruin runs to give UCLA the 10-3 lead.
The Huskies made their fourth pitching change in the seventh bringing in freshman Kristin Cochran. Cochran induced a fly out and a pair of groundouts to retire the side. Freshman Trysten Melhart delivered a one-out single in the seventh for the Huskies, but that was all for Washington.
Bator (8-2) took the loss for the Huskies, while Ali Carda (15-3) earned the win for UCLA, throwing a complete-game, four-hitter, allowing three runs and four walks.
Washington and UCLA will play game two of the three-game series tomorrow, Sunday, March 22, at 6 p.m. at Husky Softball Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carda, Ally (15-3)
L: Bator, Hailey (8-2)
Batting:
2B: Moeai, Brittany 1
HR: Spaulding, Delaney 1
RBI: Spaulding, Delaney 4 ; Maurice, Gabrielle 1 ; Sataraka, Mysha 1 ; Moeai, Brittany 1
SH: Goulder, Gracie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Spaulding, Delaney 2 ; Mueller, Tara 1 ; LaRosa, Stephany 1 ; Maurice, Gabrielle 1 ; Sataraka, Mysha 1 ; Amaral, Jessica 1 ; Goulder, Gracie 1 ; Bennett, Allexis 2
SB: Bennett, Allexis 1
HBP: Carda, Ally 1
Batting:
HR: Lahners, Kylee 1
RBI: Lahners, Kylee 1 ; Stangel, Casey 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Lahners, Kylee 2 ; Aguilar, Ali 1
