Huskies outdueled by Stanford as Women’s College World Series run comes to an end
OKLAHOMA CITY — It became clear pretty early in the elimination game between the Washington and Stanford softball teams that one run might be enough for either team to win Sunday afternoon at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium.
Stanford got that run, an unearned one in the sixth inning, and the Cardinal defeated the Huskies 1-0, ending their season at the Women’s College World Series.
Washington coach Heather Tarr said it was an upset group of players afterward, because they fell short of their ultimate goal. But Tarr struck a positive tone, knowing that the Huskies had perhaps their biggest comeback in program history — coming down from six runs down in the regionals in the final inning of the deciding game — en route to making it to the WCWS.
“I’m just proud to be a Dawg and I’m proud to be associated with these guys,” Tarr said. “We could have easily been done in regionals and these guys are truly miracle makers, and I’m proud of them. I’m proud standing with them.”
Stanford freshman star NiJaree Canady, entered Sunday’s game with a nation-best 0.51 ERA, and she was brilliant again, allowing just one hit, to Baylee Klingler leading off the game.
And Husky starter Ruby Meylan was at the top of her game Sunday as well, matching zeros with Canady through five innings.
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It seemed like a team might need a break to finally score a run, and Stanford (47-14) took advantage of one in the sixth.
Taylor Gindlesperger led off with a single, and after Meylan got two outs, Gindlesperger stole second base and advanced to third base on a throwing error by UW catcher Sydney Stewart.
That error ended up costing UW a run as a soft single by Kaitlyn Lim — just over the outstretched mitt of Husky shortstop Rylee Holtorf — scored Gindlesperger.
That was the only run Canady needed. She retired the side in the seventh, striking out Jadelyn Allchin for the final out.
“It was an old fashioned pitcher’s duel that we don’t see all that much of, but it was going to be whoever bent first,” said Stanford coach Jessica Allister.
UW (44-15) bent first, but it was a great performance for Meylan, who allowed four hits, a walk and the unearned run.
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Meylan started for the Huskies in all three of their games here. She struggled to get ahead in counts and walked too many hitters in her first two appearances, which were abbreviated, but she was sharp from the start Sunday.
Tarr said it was important that she give Meylan another chance to start, and the freshman was ready.
“I think the first day it was just nerves, like there’s nothing really to prepare you for this — it wasn’t the people, but honestly, just the stage,” Meylan said. “Today, I knew that in order for us to win, I couldn’t give up any more than one run, or none.”
The Huskies got an early opportunity when Klingler, after her single, moved to second base on a sacrifice from Sami Reynolds. But Canady struck out Madison Huskey and Kelley Lynch to get out of the jam.
Stanford got its first hit in the bottom of the third inning, on a one-out soft single from Ellee Eck. She stole second and with two outs, she seemed destined to score on Gindlesperger’s single to center field.
But UW center fielder Brooklyn charged forward for the ball and threw a missile to catcher Sydney Stewart, who applied the tag just before Eck touched home plate. Stanford challenged the out call, but the ruling stood, keeping the game scoreless.
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Brooklyn Carter with the cannon home to keep it scoreless 👀pic.twitter.com/BZHWF9G5vM — Seattle Times Sports (@SeaTimesSports) June 4, 2023
Meylan got out of another jam in the fourth inning, overcoming a successful challenge that Stanford made on what appeared to be a double play that had ended the inning.
It was ruled that the Huskies obstructed with a baserunner trying to get back to first base, so rather than being out of the inning, there were runners on first and third with two outs.
Meylan kept her composure and got Lim to hit a soft fly ball to left fielder Reynolds for the final out.
Washington got a huge chance in the sixth inning, after back-to-back Stanford errors put runners on first and second base. But Huskey hit into a fielder’s choice and Lynch flew out to center field.
That proved to be UW’s last good chance to score.
Last month, the Huskies won two of three at then No. 6 ranked Stanford, which was undoubtedly a big reason UW was the No. 7 overall seed in the NCAA tournament and Stanford was a No. 9 seed.
But the Cardinal got some revenge, on the biggest stage.
The Huskies, meanwhile, have reason to celebrate their first trip to the WCWS since 2019. Fifth-year seniors Reynolds, Huskey, SilentRain Espinoza and Megan Vandegrift ended their freshman seasons at the WCWS, any they accomplished their goal of getting back.
Tarr thanked the team’s five fifth-year seniors — including Klingler, who played her first season at Texas A&M for leaving the program better than they found it.
“Like coach Tarr said, we’re just trying to leave this program better than we found it, and we stayed all our five years to do that, and made sure that that was done,” Espinoza said.
Source: The Seattle Times
