Washington softball blasts Louisiana to move one win from College World Series
Two big innings and an excellent pitching performance have left the Washington softball team one win away from the Women’s College World Series.
Washington scored five runs in fourth inning and three in the fifth, and freshman Ruby Meylan threw a shutout as the Huskies defeated Louisiana 8-0 in their super regional opener Friday night at sold-out Husky Softball Stadium, which holds 2,200.
The game ended with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning because of the run rule.
Washington (42-13) takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three super regional and can advance to Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City with a win Saturday against Louisiana (50-15). Game time is 4 p.m. and it will be broadcast on ESPN.
If the Huskies lose Game 2, a deciding Game 3 will be played Sunday at a time to be determined.
“It was just really cool to be able to have another opportunity to play in front of our home crowd and let these guys continue to try to improve and get as good as they can get,” UW coach Heather Tarr said.
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Washington reached the super regionals when it scored seven runs in the seventh inning to defeat McNeese on Sunday in the regional final.
The offense did little in the first three innings Friday, and at that point, UW had scored in just one of its previous 19 innings.
Then came an explosion. SilentRain Espinoza drove home the first run of the game on a double to left field. Then came huge hits from players who had struck out in the second inning.
Freshman Sidney Stewart hit a towering homer to left field — her second of the season — to give UW a 3-0 lead.
That was it for Landry. Enter Chloe Riassetto for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
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Alana Johnson greeted Riassetto with a sharp single and Rylee Holtorf followed with a homer to left-center field — her fourth of the season to give UW a 5-0 lead.
“We could have easily just given away that last at-bat with Riley and just gone back out on defense — because we do like to play defense — but I think it was an important time for someone like Riley to come through there,” Tarr said.
Holtorf, a sophomore shortstop, credited Espinoza, a fifth-year senior third baseman, with getting the rally started with the double.
“She has been that rally-starter for us all year,” Holftorf said of Espinoza. “I think she’s just old in her at bats and you can see how mature she is and the way that she carries herself, her confidence. I told her last week that hitting behind her is so awesome because of the confidence she has at the plate. You can feel that behind her.”
Espinoza gave credit to Jadelyn Allchin, who led off the bottom of the fourth by getting hit with a pitch, and to Kelley Lynch, who moved Allchin to second on a sacrifice bunt.
“They started that and I was just the one that was up at that time to do that,” Espinoza said.
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Washington got a two-run single from Johnson in the fifth, and Holtorf’s run-scoring single ended the game.
Meylan, who has developed into the top pitcher for the Huskies this season, was coming off a tough performance Sunday, when she allowed six earned runs in four innings.
She rebounded in a way, working her way out of trouble a couple of times, but the biggest escape came in the fifth inning, right after UW had scored five runs.
Meylan loaded the bases with two outs and had to face Karly Heath, the Sun Belt Conference player of the year. Meylan retired Heath on a fly ball that was caught at the wall by left fielder Sami Reynolds.
“Especially after we had scored there, we needed to not let the other team score and I thought she really did a good job,” Tarr said of Meylan, who allowed two hits and four walks and hit two batters. “She battled back from a couple of tough moments, but she’s growing and she has learned and we’re definitely proud of her and proud of the defense that played behind her tonight.”
Meylan allowed her first hit of the game with two outs in the fourth inning, on a double by Jourdyn Campbell. Left fielder Sami Reynolds made a diving attempt on the line drive, but the ball came out of her mitt when she hit the ground.
After a walk, Meylan struck out pinch-hitter Laney Credeur for the final out in the top of the fourth. Then came the first of two UW explosions.
“These guys are in school and they lifted weights this morning and they deserve something good to eat,” Tarr and. “And get ready to get better tomorrow.”
BOX SCORE
Source: The Seattle Times
