Dawgs take one from UCLA

[img1]One amazing victory, one crushing loss.

But so goes Pac-10 softball this season.

No. 15 Washington (30-16 overall, 4-8 Pac-10) split two games with No. 1 UCLA (37-5, 9-3) in Los Angeles, yesterday. The Huskies were the home team for the first game -- the conclusion of an April 15 match in Seattle that was postponed after two innings due to rain -- and the visitor for the second.

The Huskies pulled out the win in a 12-inning first game, scoring in the extra frame on an error by UCLA pitching ace Anjelica Selden to give them the 3-2 victory. During the second game, the Huskies gave up a four-run lead in the third inning for the eventual 7-6 loss.

Sophomore pitcher Danielle Lawrie picked up her 18th win of the season in game one. She pitched all 12 innings and struck out 19 batters.

UCLA took the lead first in game one with a home run in the fourth inning and an RBI single in the fifth. The Huskies answered in the sixth inning with an RBI triple by sophomore shortstop Ashley Charters.

Senior first baseman Sarah Hyatt then bunted to score Charters, evening the game 2-2. The score stayed tied until the bottom of the 12th when senior outfielder Aimee Minor doubled and scored on Selden's error.

Washington managed the win despite being out-hit 11-6 by the Bruins.

The Huskies grabbed an early lead in the second game when junior second baseman Dominique Lastrapes walked and made it to third base after a wild pitch and a ground out. Minor then singled to bring in Lastrapes.

In the third inning, Minor hit a two-run homer and Hyatt hit a solo shot to give the Huskies a 4-0 lead.

But UCLA answered right back in the bottom half of the frame. The Bruins strung together three runs on five hits before Lawrie came in to relieve sophomore pitcher Caitlin Noble. First baseman Lisa Dodd then hit a three-run bomb, putting UCLA up 6-4.

The Bruins added another run in the fourth inning and the Huskies got one more run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by freshman third baseman Brooke Woodward.

The Huskies almost completed the comeback in the seventh inning. Junior outfielder Dena Tyson hit an RBI single, and the Huskies loaded the bases on two walks and a single with no outs. But the final three batters either struck out or popped up to end the game.

Selden got the win despite surrendering five runs on 11 hits.

The brutal conference schedule continues when Washington returns home this weekend to face No. 8 Arizona State Friday afternoon and No. 3 Arizona Saturday and Sunday.

Reach Daily reporter Jenna Snavely at [url='mailto:jennasnavely@thedaily.washington.edu']jennasnavely@thedaily.washington.edu[/url].