Two big innings and excellent pitching put the Washington softball team one win away from the Women’s College World Series.
Washington hit five runs in the fourth inning and three in the fifth, and freshman Ruby Meylan threw a shutout as the Huskies beat Louisiana 8-0 in their national opening game Friday night at the packed 2,200-capacity Husky Softball Stadium.
The game ended with two outs at the bottom of the fifth inning due to the run rule.
Washington (42-13) takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three superregional game and can advance to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City with a win over Louisiana (50-15) on Saturday. Game time is 4:00 p.m. and it will be broadcast on ESPN.
If the Huskies lose Game 2, a crucial Game 3 will be played on Sunday at a time to be determined.
“It was really cool to get another opportunity to play in front of our home crowd and allow these guys to continue to improve and get as good as they can,” said UW coach Heather Tarr.
Washington advanced to the Super Regionals when they scored seven runs in the seventh inning and defeated McNeese in Sunday’s regional finals.
The offense did little in Friday’s first three innings, and at that point UW had only scored in one of the previous 19 innings.
Then there was an explosion. SilentRain Espinoza scored the first run of the game with a double to left field. Then came massive hits from players who had struck in the second inning.
Freshman Sidney Stewart hit a massive home run into left field – her second of the season – to give UW a 3-0 lead.
That was it for Landry. Enter Chloe Riassetto for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Alana Johnson greeted Riassetto with a sharp single and Rylee Holtorf followed with a home run into left midfield – her fourth of the season to give UW a 5-0 lead.
“We could have easily given up that last attack with Riley and just got back on the defensive – because we like to play defensive – but I think it was an important time for someone like Riley to come through,” Tarr said .
Holtorf, a sophomore shortstop, credited Espinoza, a fifth-year senior third baseman, with starting the rally with the double.
“She was our rally starter all year,” said Holftorf of Espinoza. “I think she’s just old in the sport of bats and you can see how mature she is and how she represents herself, her confidence. I told her last week it’s so great to hit behind her because she has so much confidence off the plate. You can feel that behind her.”
Espinoza paid tribute to Jadelyn Allchin, who slapped the lead late in the fourth set, and Kelley Lynch, who put Allchin in second place with a sacrifice throw.
“They started it and I was exactly the one who was ready for it at that point,” Espinoza said.
Washington got a two-run single from Johnson in the fifth set, and Holtorf’s runs-scoring single ended the game.
Meylan, who has become the Huskies’ top pitcher this season, put on a tough performance Sunday as she conceded six earned runs in four innings.
She sort of bounced back and bounced a few times, but the biggest escape came in the fifth inning, right after UW had scored five runs.
Meylan slammed the bases with two outs and had to face Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Karly Heath. Meylan knocked out Heath with a flyball that was caught on the wall by left fielder Sami Reynolds.
“Especially after we scored there, we had to prevent the other team from scoring and I thought they did a really good job,” Tarr said of Meylan, who conceded two hits and four walks and hit two batters. “She fought back after a couple of difficult moments but she’s growing and learning and we’re certainly proud of her and proud of the defense that played behind her tonight.”
Meylan allowed her first hit of the game with two outs in the fourth inning to a double from Jourdyn Campbell. Left fielder Sami Reynolds attempted a dive at the line drive, but the ball came out of her mitt as she hit the ground.
After a walk, Meylan defeated the pinch hitter Laney Credeur and thus ensured the final out in the fourth round. Then came the first of two UW explosions.
“These guys are in school and they lifted weights this morning and they deserve something nice to eat,” Tarr said. “And get ready to get better tomorrow.”
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