March 21, 1998
FULLERTON, Calif.--The Washington softball team won its first round game in the Kia Klassic playoffs on Saturday, downing Canisius, 7-5, but then fell to No. 22 CSU Northridge, 3-0, in the quarterfinals. The Huskies, now 17-4, will be in action again on Tuesday and Wednesday in doubleheaders against Marshall and DePaul, respectively. In a game with an abundance of hits and runs, the third-ranked Huskies put away Canisius, 7-5, on Saturday morning. At least one run was scored in every inning but the sixth, and multiple players crossed home plate in the first, fifth and seventh frames. After Canisius first two batters retired, the next two, Jen Silata and Jesse Rosenhahn, belted balls over the right and left field fences, respectively, for a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first. UW responded with one run each in the first three frames. Sophomore Rosie Leutzinger opened with a single, using a steal and freshman Kelly Hauxhurst to move to third. Freshman Kim DePauls sacrifice to left field brought Leutzinger home. The second run was a replay of the first. Sophomore Jennifer Spediacci grounded a ball up the middle for a single and junior Jami Nyblods sacrifice bunt put Spediacci on second. A long single to right field by sophomore Melissa Downs brought Spediacci home. Senior Eve Gaw led off the third with a single, and pinch runner Denia Pisia stole second and advanced to third on a shot by junior Becky Newbry. Spediaccis single knocked her home and gave UW a 3-2 lead. Canisius came back in the fourth to tie it again, however. Jesse Rosenhahn singled and advanced to third on a with the help of Tracy Horvath and a passed ball before another single by Janice Hoeltke sent her home. It was the fifth frame in which Washington seemingly put the game away, scoring four runs on five consecutive hits, all of which came with two outs. Spediacci singled and advanced to second on a fielders choice before Nyblod hit her home. Nyblod made it to third on an error before Downs double to left doubled as an RBI. She then scored off a triple that rolled to the center field fence by freshman Christie Rosenblad, and Leutzinger hit Rosenblad home to put the Huskies up, 7-3. But the Golden Griffins werent finished. With two out in the top of the seventh, Jackie Fusco took first on a fielder choice and Joy Judski walked before Raquel Alvarezs double to left sent them both home. A pop up to Leutzinger at short finally ended the game. Washington recorded 13 hits off Canisius pitchers Kristina Chavez and Sarah Skorupa. Gaw (3-1) gave up seven hits and struck out seven in her fourth complete game of the year. In the quarterfinals, UW managed only three hits the entire game, singles by freshman Kelly Hauxhurst in the first, sophomore Rosie Leutzinger in the sixth and Eve Gaw in the seventh. CSU Northridge, meanwhile, converted three in the opening frame into two runs. Chelo Lopez singled to center and Elizabeth Sanches had a shot to right field to set up two RBI for Augrista Belford off a double. Then in the fifth, the Matadors scored another. Jill Passafiume singled and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly, and then crossed home plate on a passed ball. Spediacci (7-2) took the loss, while CSUNs Tara Glaister earned the win. Washington opens at home Mar. 28 and 29 in its Pac-10 opener against Stanford and Cal, respectively.
Game One Canisius 200 100 2 5 7 1 Washington 111 040 x 7 13 2Kristina Chavez, Sarah Skorupa (6) and Jesse Rosenhahn; Eve Gaw and Melissa Downs. WP-Eve Gaw (3-1). LP-Chavez. 2B-Alvarez; Downs. 3B-x; Rosenblad. HR-Silata, Rosenhahn. Game Two CSU Northridge 200 010 0 3 8 0 Washington 000 000 0 0 3 0Tara Glaister, Traci Gallian; Jennifer Spediacci, Jamie Graves (6) and Jeanine Giordano. WP-Glaister. LP-Spediacci (7-2). 2B-Belford. |
