March 7, 1999
FULLERTON, Calif. - The Washington softball team split its final two games today at the Easton Showcase Tournament, falling to Illinois State, 3-2, before rallying in the bottom of the seventh to down Northwestern, 6-5. UW finishes the tournament at 5-1 and is 18-3 overall. Their next competition will be back in Fullerton in the Kia Klassic Mar. 18-21.
Against Illinois State, Washington could not get going offensively, unable to get a hit until junior Jeanine Giordano singled in the top of the sixth. Meanwhile, the Redbirds scored twice in the fourth frame and again in the fifth to go up, 3-0.
Finally, in the seventh inning, the Huskies got singles from sophomore Kim DePaul and senior Becky Newbry. Junior Melissa Downs then walked, and DePaul and pinch runner Becky Simpson scored when junior Erin Helgeland doubled to center field. But the Redbirds recorded the third out to end the game.
Junior Jennifer Spediacci pitched two-plus innings before classmate Jamie Graves relieved her.
In the second game, Washington scored in the first inning when Leutzinger reached second on an error, was sacrificed to third by Hauxhurst and scored off a single down the left field line by Downs. The Wildcats then put two runs on the board in both the second and third innings off four hits and two errors to go up 4-1. UW pulled within two in the fifth when DePaul doubled down the left field line and then scored on a wild pitch and the ensuing throw. But Northwestern added another in the sixth off a single and a long double.
The Huskies put together another seventh-inning rally, this time a successful one. UW collected as many hits--4--as it did the rest of the game combined. Leutzinger and Hauxhurst led off with singles, and DePaul hit both of them home on a double to left field. Newbry followed that with another double, and she scored the game-winning run when the NU pitcher overthrew first after Helgeland bunted.
Freshman Bridget Wilcox made her second collegiate start and was relieved by Graves (9-3) in the third inning.
Game One Washington 000 000 2 2 4 2 Illinois State 000 210 x 3 4 0 Jennifer Spediacci, Jamie Graves (2) and Jeanine Giordano; Corey Harris and Jodi Kent. WP-Harris (1-3). LP-Graves (8-3). LOB-UW 2; ISU 52B-UW: Helgeland; ISU: Riccio. |
