Beaver softball looked to have a bounce back game in Seattle against the University of Washington after a tough loss on Thursday night, but they were defeated 7-1 on Friday.
During Thursday’s game, the Beavs battled back from a 4-0 deficit to tie it 4-4. The tie lasted until the bottom of the seventh when Husky centerfielder Kinsley Fiedler drove in the walk-off run with a double into left center, leading the Huskies to a 5-4 victory.
On Friday, Ellie Garica took the mound. She was looking to continue her success after her dominant performance against Seattle University. Unfortunately for Garica and the Beavers, the Huskies showed why they are the eighth ranked team in the nation.
After being sat down in order in the top of the first, the Huskies put together an impressive performance. Two walks brought Friday’s hero Fiedler up with two outs. Fielder drove a towering shot over the centerfield wall for a three run home run.
After a single from Olivia Johnson, Brooke Nelson sent a similarly impressive home run to deep center, putting the Beavers down 5-0 early.
The Beavers didn’t seem to have an answer for Husky’s star pitcher Lindsay Lopez. Lopez’s off-speed pitch was fooling the Beavs early.
In the third, Morgan Howey broke up Lopez’s perfect game with a sharp single to center, but the Beavers weren’t able to capitalize on the opportunity.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Huskies extended their lead with a solo home run from catcher Sydney Stewart, putting them up 6-0.
Garica’s day finished with four innings pitched and was relieved in the fifth by junior Sarah Haendiges. Haendiges pitched a complete game in Thursday’s game.
She struck out the first batter she faced on Friday. But the next batter, Alana Johnson dropped a weak single along the first base line that was kicked around in the corner, allowing Johnson to reach third. Following a walk to Fiedler, Olivia Johnson drove in Alana Johnson with a fielder’s choice.
The Beavers wouldn’t put anything together in the sixth, and after retiring the Huskies in the bottom of the inning, the Beavers tried to mount a resilient comeback in the seventh.
Abby Doerr lined a single into right field. She would be pinch run for by Kaylee Oh. Pinch hitter Sydney Saenz grounded into a fielder’s choice that advanced Oh to second. Then Madyson Clark crushed a ball into the right center for a double gap, scoring Oh.
The next batter, Kaiea Higa, got hit by a pitch putting two on with two out. But Howey, who started the Beavers off in the third, grounded out to the shortstop, ending the Beavers’ hopeful comeback.
Lopez finished the game throwing all seven innings, striking out six and only giving up one run on four hits.
The Beavers fell to 15-18 on the season and look to avoid a series sweep at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
