University of Washington
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Bank of Hawaii Invitational: UTEP
Huskies Complete 4-1 Weekend In Hawaii
February 23, 2015 | Softball
HONOLULU, Hawaii – The No. 17 Washington softball team wrapped up a 4-1 weekend at the Bank of Hawaii Invitational on Sunday earning an 8-3 win over UTEP to advance into the championship game where the Huskies fell to No. 19 UCF, 4-2 in a game that was cut short due to time constraints with UCF's travel arrangements. The teams mutually agreed prior to the start of the game to a drop time, which ended the game after five full innings of play.
The Huskies went 4-1 in the tournament, led by freshman Taylor Van Zee who earned the 2015 Bank of Hawaii Invitational Most Valuable Player award. She went 8-for-14 recording four RBI and a team-leading eight hits, including one double and her third home run of the season. Courtney Gano, Kelli Suguro, Ali Aguilar and Casey Stangel were also named to the All-Tournament team.
"We did some things in this tournament that we have been looking to do with this team and I thought they responded well to the different things that were thrown at us," said head coach Heather Tarr. "Specifically in the Hawaii game, we came back a few different times after they scored on us which is a positive for this team because that's what the game is all about -- it's not about who you're playing, but how you're playing the game."
Washington punched its ticket into the championship game after beating UTEP, 8-3 in the first game of the day. The Huskies got a strong pitching performance from Kasey Stanchek (3-2) who threw a complete seven innings, fanning seven batters, which is the most recorded by the staff this season. Offensively, Van Zee led the way with a 3-for-3 performance including two RBI while Suguro drove in two runs off two hits.
The game stayed close through the first 2.5 innings with the Huskies leading 3-2 before scoring four runs in the third to pull away. Courtney Gano hit a single to open the inning and Casey Stangel's hit down the line put runners on the corners. Gano scored on a passed ball and Suguro's double scored Stangel. Two more Husky runs came across off Kelly Burdick's RBI groundout before Ali Aguilar hit a two-out double and scored off Van Zee's single.
Washington added insurance in the fourth after Kimberlee Souza drew a leadoff walk and Suguro's single scored pinch runner Kelly Meggs.
All three of the Miners' runs came off solo home runs in the second, third and fifth innings.
The championship game featured a rematch between Washington and UCF. The Huskies beat the Knights, 4-3 in the first game of the tournament, but UCF got revenge in the second game, beating the Huskies 4-2 in five innings.
"It was great for us to face a team like UCF who have two good pitchers which will be similar to conference play when we have to find a way to beat a pitching staff over the course of a weekend," said Tarr. "Unfortantely the game ended short for us today, but it was great to face a quality team like UCF."
Hailey Bator started in the circle for the Huskies, tossing 4.0 innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs while recording three strikeouts. Stangel came on in relief in the fifth, allowing one hit with one strikeout. Mackenzie Audas tossed all five innings for UCF, allowing her first earned runs of the season.
Washington recorded the first run of the game after Suguro reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and came home off Trysten Melhart's hard hit ball which landed in fair territory and rolled away from the third baseman resulting in a double for the speedy Melhart.
UCF bounced back in the next at-bat, reaching on an error and a two-run home run gave the Knights a 2-1 advantage. The Knights added to their lead in the fourth, loading the bases and hitting a double to score two more runs.
Trailing 4-1 in the fourth, Dani Braun and Suguro hit back-to-back singles to try and ignite a Husky rally. With Aguilar up to bat, an illegal pitch was called to bring home Braun and the Washington deficit was trimmed to just two runs.
Both teams went scoreless in the fifth inning and reached the drop time in the sixth inning. The NCAA rule reverts the score back to the last completed inning, giving the Knights the 4-2 win.
Washington is back in action on Friday, Feb. 27 in Stockton, Calif. at the Libby Matson Tournament. The Huskies will play North Dakota State at 1 p.m. and Pacific at 3:15 p.m.
