University of Washington
42-16
NCAA Regionals: USC Upstate
44-10
Washington Advances To Regional Final, 9-1 (5) Over USC Upstate
May 16, 2015 | Softball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Senior starters Kylee Lahners, Kelli Suguro and Kasey Stanchek refused to let this be their last game as Lahners and Suguro both went yard and Stanchek allowed just one run in a complete game effort to help propel the Huskies to a 9-1 (5) run-rule victory over USC Upstate. With the win, the Huskies advance to play Alabama in the regional final tomorrow at 10 a.m. PT.
“I'm happy for our team and their ability to respond to something that happened this morning,” said head coach Heather Tarr. “That was pretty hard to take and tough to swallow, but we are a tough team and we are smart enough to know that we are only as good as the next game.”
Washington homered in all but one inning and the Huskies, who have already broke single season records in runs, RBI and walks, hit four in the game to total 86 on the season which breaks the previous single season record of 84 set in 2000.
Washington worked out of a jam in the opening frame as USC Upstate managed to get runners on the corners with two outs. The Spartans singled up the middle, stole second and used an error to put runners at first and third, however Stanchek induced a fly out to end the inning unscathed.
It took just one at-bat for the Huskies to get their first run of the game as Lahners drove her 16th home run of the season over the left field wall. Sophomore Ali Aguilar was then hit-by-pitch and two outs later, scored off sophomore Casey Stangel's first triple of the season.
Suguro led off the second inning with her seventh home run of the season to put the Huskies on top, 3-0. Two outs later, Lahners doubled to center field but she was left stranded as a strikeout ended the inning.
The Huskies put up two more runs in the bottom of the third as Stangel delivered the team's record-breaking 85th home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field. Aguilar, who drew a lead off walk earlier in the inning, also scored.
The freshmen got in on the scoring fun in the bottom of the fourth as the Huskies scored for the fourth consecutive inning. Trysten Melhart led off with a single and advanced into scoring position off pinch hitter Julia DePonte's bunt. Taylor Van Zee's RBI single up the middle then scored the speedy Melhart from second to give Washington a 6-0 lead.
After Stanchek fanned the first batter faced in the top of the fifth, a fly out gave the Huskies two quick outs before Upstate used a two-out rally to score their first run of the game. The Spartans hit a double before scoring off a single to make it a 6-1 game.
Junior Kimberlee Souza wasted no time getting that run back, hitting the Huskies' fourth home run of the game, matching Washington's season-high for the fifth time this season. The inning continued as junior Courtney Gano singled and pinch runner Dani Braun stole second before pinch hitter Krystal Aubert singled to put runners on the corners. Melhart's bunt-single scored Braun and after a walk loaded the bases, the Huskies won the game via run-rule after Aubert scored off Lahners' RBI sac-fly.
Stanchek (15-7) earned the win, allowing just one run on five hits with three strikeouts in 5.0 innings worked. Lahners, Stangel and Melhart all went 2-for-3 to lead the offense. Stangel's 3 RBI led the team.
Washington advances to play Alabama in the regional final tomorrow at 10 a.m. PT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stanchek, Kasey (15-7)
L: SHUBERT (34-7)
Batting:
2B: SCHNEIDER 1
RBI: ROBINSON 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SCHNEIDER 1
SB: ROBINSON 1
Batting:
2B: Lahners, Kylee 1
3B: Stangel, Casey 1
HR: Lahners, Kylee 1 ; Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; Stangel, Casey 1 ; Suguro, Kelli 1
RBI: Lahners, Kylee 2 ; Van Zee, Taylor 1 ; Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; Stangel, Casey 3 ; Suguro, Kelli 1 ; Melhart, Trysten 1
SH: Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; DePonte, Julia 1
SF: Lahners, Kylee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lahners, Kylee 1 ; Aguilar, Ali 2 ; Souza, Kimberlee 1 ; Stangel, Casey 1 ; Braun, Dani 1 ; Suguro, Kelli 1 ; Aubert, Krystal 1 ; Melhart, Trysten 1
SB: Braun, Dani 1
HBP: Aguilar, Ali 1
