Pac-10 schedule doesn't let up with 'Zona schools
April 28, 2006
[img1]There's no rest for the weary. There's no rest for the Washington softball team, either.
The No. 16 Huskies (30-16 overall, 4-8 Pac-10) host No. 8 Arizona State (41-7, 5-4) Friday and No. 3 Arizona (34-8, 5-5) Saturday and Sunday. The Huskies dropped one game to Arizona earlier this season, and split a pair with ASU.
After a tough loss to UCLA in the second game of last Wednesday's double-header, the Huskies will be eager to start the weekend with a win.
A win over ASU won't come easy. The Sun Devils lead the Pac-10 in runs scored, home runs, RBIs and stolen bases. Outfielder Kaitlin Cochran leads ASU with a .467 average and 63 hits. Pitchers Katie Burkhart and Desiree Serrano boast 1.46 and 1.72 ERAs, respectively.
Earlier in the season, a game against ASU turned into a 13-inning pitcher's duel. Freshman pitcher Danielle Lawrie has pitched in five consecutive games, and sophomore pitcher Caitlin Noble has struggled recently. These two will have to be at the top of their games to contend with the Sun Devils.
The offense will also have to step it up against Arizona Saturday and Sunday. The Wildcats have a 0.93 team ERA -- the lowest in the conference. Getting hits off Arizona aces Alicia Hollowell and Taryne Mowatt won't be easy, but it will be necessary if the Huskies want to hang in the game.
Offensively, sophomore shortstop Ashley Charters leads the Huskies with a .423 average and 63 hits. Senior slugger Sarah Hyatt leads the team in RBIs with 36. She also has seven home runs to pace the team. Another player to watch is freshman outfielder Marnie Koziol, who has been quietly working her way up the list and has the third-highest batting average among the Huskies.
Giving up unearned runs has been a problem for Washington this season. The team must execute early and hold its opponents accountable for any errors.
The Pac-10 is unpredictable; anything could happen. But competitive, close games are always a guarantee.
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