UW softball advances to Women’s College World Series with sweep of Louisiana in super regionals
The Huskies are headed to the Women’s College World Series, thanks in large part to the grit of Lindsay Lopez.
The UW senior pitcher was tested again and again by Louisiana threats, and each time Lopez came through, leading Washington to a 2-0 win over Louisiana on Saturday afternoon at Husky Softball Stadium.
The victory finished off a super regional sweep, sending Washington to Oklahoma City for the WCWS for the first time since 2019. The Huskies will play either San Diego State or Utah — those teams play a deciding Game 3 Sunday — on Thursday.
It will be the Huskies’ eighth trip to the WCWS since Heather Tarr became head coach at UW, and each of her classes have made it at least once, a streak that was in jeopardy this year.
“That’s a good problem to have, but we also have this other problem that we’re trying to win another national championship and there’s no better team to try to go do it than this group,” said Tarr, whose team won a naitonal title in 2009.
Washington defeated Louisiana 8-0 on Friday night with freshman Ruby Meylan throwing a five-inning shutout.
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Lopez threw six shutout innings Saturday, working out of trouble in each frame. She allowed seven hits and nine base runners in that span but no runs, mainly because she kept the Louisiana hitless in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position.
“I thought they had outstanding pitching from Ruby yesterday and then again today from Lindsay Lopez,” said Louisiana coach Gerry Glasco, whose team has been to 24 straight NCAA tournaments and upset No. 10 overall seed LSU in the regionals. “I thought Lindsay was really good when she got runners in scoring position. She buckled down.”
Meylan closed out the win, retiring Louisiana in order in the seventh inning.
“That’s a really special moment there for Ruby to come back in today, protect the lead and attack the batters the way she did,” Glasco said. “I thought her poise was outstanding.”
Washington (43-13) was held to four hits, but finally broke through on a Madison Huskey sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.
Pinch-runner Brooklyn Carter stole home in the seventh to give the Huskies a big insurance run.
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Lopez showed grit from the start. She allowed back-to-back one-out singles in the bottom of the first inning, then struck out the next two batters.
It became a theme. Inning after inning, the Ragin’ Cajuns (50-16) put pressure on Lopez, and each time the senior came through with big outs.
The Huskies meanwhile had two baserunners in the first five innings against Megan Schorman, but finally got something going in the sixth inning.
Baylee Klinger hit a double to right field with one out in the sixth and Sami Reynolds followed with an infield single. Huskey then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Avery Hobson, who was pinch-running for Klingler.
Carter then gave the Huskies some cushion and soon after the Huskies were celebrating.
Source: The Seattle Times
