University of Washington
35-11, 7-7
Arizona
33-10, 8-4
Arizona Wins Wild Affair Over Washington, 18-10
April 13, 2015 | Softball
TUCSON, Ariz. – In a game featuring 28 hits and 28 runs, Arizona leapt out to a huge lead before the Huskies mounted a comeback but eventually fell 18-10 Sunday afternoon in the series finale at Hillenbrand Stadium.
The Huskies and Wildcats combined for a mindboggling 71 hits and 65 runs in the three-game series.
Sophomore's Casey Stangel and Ali Aguilar led the Huskies at the plate in the series. Stangel went 5-for-7 with two homers, two doubles and four runs scored while Aguilar put up similar numbers, going 5-for-10 with two home runs and four runs scored. Each tallied six RBI to lead the team. Senior Kelli Suguro also had a solid series, going 6-for-11 with two doubles and three RBI.
Washington falls to 35-11 overall on the season, 7-7 in the Pac-12 with its loss this afternoon. Arizona now is 33-10 on the year with its win, 8-4 in the Pac-12.
Arizona opened the scoring in the first frame. The Cats hit back-to-back singles and drew a walk to load the bases before a sac-fly scored a run.
Washington responded by getting on the board itself in the top of the second after Stangel reached on a single and advanced into scoring position off a wild pitch. Suguro then doubled for her fifth hit of the series to give the Huskies their first run of the ball game.
Arizona used a two-out rally to plate five runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 6-1 lead. After the Cats led off the inning with a single, the Husky defense recorded two quick outs but a pair of back-to-back walks and a wild pitch scored a run and jumpstarted a Wildcat rally. Arizona went on to hit back-to-back homers and freshman Kristin Cochran entered the game to replace Husky starter Kasey Stanchek. Cochran induced a groundout to end the inning and Arizona took a five-run lead heading to the third.
The Huskies got one of those runs back in the third thanks to freshman Julia DePonte's second home run of the season to leadoff the inning.
The two teams then combined to score a wild 17 runs over the course of the next six outs.
After a trio of singles loaded the bases, Stangel replaced Cochran in the circle. Arizona used a walk and an RBI single to score a pair of runs before Stangel was called for a wild pitch, which brought home another Wildcat baserunner. Freshman Kirstyn Thomas then entered the circle for the Huskies and Arizona hit a two-run single before delivering a two-run home run to go up 13-2. After a hit-by-pitch and a double put a pair on, junior Hailey Bator entered the game. An RBI single followed by a sac fly gave the Wildcats their eighth and ninth runs of the inning to go on top, 15-2.
As it's done all season long, the Washington offense responded in the fourth, scoring eight runs to trim their deficit to just five runs. After junior Courtney Gano led off with a single, Stangel ripped her second home run of the series. Suguro then roped her second double of the game and juniors Dani Braun and Kimberlee Souza drew a pair of walks to load the bases. An error scored a run and kept the bases loaded for freshman Taylor Van Zee who drew a walk for the fourth run of the inning.
The inning continued as Aguilar hit a two-run single to score senior Kylee Lahners and Souza. Gano, who led off the frame with a single, hit her second single to reload the bases for Stangel who drew an RBI walk. A fielder's choice off the bat of Suguro then scored the Huskies' eighth run of the inning.
After a pair of scoreless frames, the Husky defense again recorded two quick outs to start the fifth, but Arizona used a two-out rally to score a pair. The Wildcats hit a solo home run and an RBI-single to score two runs before Stanchek re-entered the game and induced a groundout to end the inning.
After Arizona led off the fifth with a single, Stanchek took a hard line drive off her shin and was replaced by Stangel, who entered the circle for the second time in the contest. Using a wild pitch to put a base runner on third base, Arizona hit a walkoff single to win the game, 18-10.
Washington is back in action this Wednesday (April 15) at Seattle University. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Phillips (2-0)
L: Stanchek, Kasey (14-6)
Batting:
2B: Suguro, Kelli 2
HR: Stangel, Casey 1 ; DePonte, Julia 1
RBI: Lahners, Kylee 1 ; Van Zee, Taylor 1 ; Aguilar, Ali 2 ; Stangel, Casey 3 ; Suguro, Kelli 2 ; DePonte, Julia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lahners, Kylee 1 ; Van Zee, Taylor 1 ; Aguilar, Ali 1 ; Gano, Courtney 1 ; Stangel, Casey 2 ; Suguro, Kelli 1 ; Braun, Dani 1 ; Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; DePonte, Julia 1
Batting:
2B: Perez 1
HR: Fox 1 ; Mauga 2 ; Young 1
RBI: Wilson 1 ; Suitos 2 ; Fox 5 ; Mauga 3 ; Goodacre 1 ; Mercado 2 ; Young 2
SF: Goodacre 1 ; Young 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wilson 3 ; Suitos 2 ; Fox 2 ; Mauga 2 ; Goodacre 1 ; Sakasegawa 1 ; Perez 2 ; Mercado 2 ; Young 1 ; Dotson 2
HBP: Goodacre 1 ; Perez 1 ; Dotson 1
