April 4, 2009
SEATTLE, Wash. – Two home runs and a solid pitching outing by the third-ranked Washington Huskies spelled defeat Saturday afternoon for the fourth-ranked ASU Sun Devil Softball team who lost 11-3 in five innings in Seattle at Husky Softball Complex. The Sun Devils are now 32-6 overall and 4-1 in the Pac-10 while UW advances to 30-5 overall and 3-2 in conference play.
The Huskies attacked first as starter Megan Elliott struggled for control in the first inning as she hit two batters in a row which would come back to haunt her as Danielle Lawrie settled in for an RBI single to left followed up with a sacrifice fly from Ashlyn Watson to plate another as UW took the 2-0 lead after one complete.
ASU fired back in the second inning as Katie Crabb let Danielle Lawrie dig herself a hole with a 3-1 before giving the next ball a free ride over the left center wall to cut the lead in half 2-1. Another run in the bottom of the inning gave UW the lead right back with a 3-1 score after two. The Huskies came back for a crushing blow in the third as well as Elliott gave up a single and a walk before Lauren Greer dug in to send a ball packing for a three run shot to take a 6-1 lead.
Alicia Blake took it to the Sun Devils as well as the third rolled on as Megan Ellsworth replaced Megan Elliott only to give up a double followed with a two-run home run from Blake to right center. Another run finally saw ASU stop the blood loss as they finished the third trailing 10-1. ASU fired back in the fifth putting two runs on the board to keep the game going with a 10-3 lead.
The Huskies were not to be denied though as they came up in the bottom of the fifth to finish it early as they loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Niki Williams who took first on a fielder’s choice that saw Marnie Koziol score on a throwing error from short to end the game early in a run rule.
The Sun Devils will face-off against the Huskies once more this weekend as they take to the field tomorrow at noon in Seattle at Husky Softball Stadium.