Huskies Beat No. 15 UCF

The No. 9-ranked University of Washington softball team scored three runs in the fourth inning to overcome a 3-1 deficit and earn its ninth win of the season and fourth victory at the Mary Nutter Classic on Sunday (Feb. 21) in Cathedral City, Calif.

Sophomore Madi Schreyer (5-0) earned her fifth win of the season, allowing five hits and two earned runs through 3.2 innings pitched. Taran Alvelo closed out the game to earn her first collegiate save. With the Huskies leading 4-3 in the fourth, the freshman entered the circle with two-outs and a runner at second, inducing a fly out to end the inning.

For the second straight game, junior Ali Aguilar led the offense with five RBI, including her third home run of the season in the top of the sixth, a three-run shot to give the Huskies a 7-3 lead.

In a back-and-forth contest that saw a total of 27 hits, Washington took the game’s first lead in the first when sophomore Julia DePonte hit her fourth home run of the season. Washington is now 7-1 this season when scoring in the opening frame.

UCF used three hits to score three runs in the second to take a 3-1 lead. The Knights led off the inning with a solo home run before scoring a pair of runs off choppers hit hard off the infield. After reaching on an infield single and stealing second, another infield hit to the right side put runners on the corners. UCF then took a 2-1 lead scoring on a fielder’s choice. After a passed ball advanced the runners to second and third, Schreyer picked up a big strikeout for the first out, but the Knights used another hit off the infield to score their third run of the inning to go up, 3-1.

After a three up, three down inning for both teams in the third, the Huskies strung together three consecutive hits to take a 4-3 lead in the fourth. Flores drew a one-out walk to start the rally and a pair of infield singles by Van Zee and sophomore Trysten Melhart loaded the bases. Aguilar then drove the ball hard over the center fielder’s head to score pinch runner Amirah Milloy and Van Zee. Washington reclaimed the lead in the next at-bat as Melhart scored off DePonte’s groundout to first. Aguilar also tried to score on the play but was thrown out at the plate to the end the inning.

After UCF hit a two-out double in the fourth, the Huskies brought in Alvelo to close out the game and the freshman induced a fly out to left field to end the inning and preserve Washington’s 4-3 lead.

Washington added insurance in the sixth. With one out, Van Zee reached on an infield single and Melhart drew a walk. Aguilar then launched her third home run of the season to give the Huskies a 7-3 advantage. One out later, the Huskies hit three consecutive singles to plate another run. Gano singled up the middle and sophomore Krystal Aubert singled through the left side before senior Kimberlee Souza’s RBI single scored Gano.

UCF trimmed its deficit to three runs in the sixth, scoring two runs off five singles. The Knights hit back-to-back singles before a strikeout gave the Huskies their first out. A hit through the right side advanced the runners and one run scored off a single up the middle. An infield single then scored the second run of the inning to make it an 8-5 game.

Washington took advantage of UCF miscues in the seventh to score another run. Freshman Tannon Snow reached on an error to open the inning and freshman Morganne Flores singled to put a pair on. Pinch runners Kelly Burdick and Jennie McNeill advanced a bag off Van Zee’s bunt and Burdick scored off an infield error.

UCF attempted a comeback in the seventh, plating two runs on three hits, but Alvelo recorded her fourth strikeout of the game to end it and give the Dawgs their ninth victory of the season.