SOFTBALL: Husky softball on its way to College World Series

Heather Tarr has maintained since the beginning of the season that a College World Series appearance isn't necessary to be validated as a successful softball coach.

But if it is, consider her validated.

[HTML_REMOVED]PLAYER OF THE WEEKEND:[HTML_REMOVED]

Lauren Greer [HTML_REMOVED] 3-6, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR

Greer has been huge all postseason for the Dawgs, but no more so than in the super regional [HTML_REMOVED] her home run Friday and her RBI single in the seventh on Saturday both proved to be the difference in each game.

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Dominique Lastrapes' dramatic play at the plate Saturday

With two outs, Lastrapes used a creative [HTML_REMOVED] albeit effective [HTML_REMOVED] way to get around the catcher to score in the seventh inning and punch the UW's ticket to the World Series.

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2,077 [HTML_REMOVED] the attendance of Saturday's game

Not only was Husky Softball Stadium filled to capacity, but several fans were also watching from the rafters of Husky Stadium.

Tarr's No. 6 seed Huskies (40-17) swept No. 11 seed Alabama (55-10) in two games over the weekend at Husky Softball Stadium to advance to the Women's College World Series for the first time since 2004, the first time in Tarr's three-year tenure.

"This is what we've been playing for," Tarr said following the UW's 7-5 win Saturday. "We couldn't be more proud of everyone that has something to do with our program."

Washington's win Friday saw a typical Husky start, with the Dawgs manufacturing three runs early. Ashley Charters reached on a single in the first, was sacrificed to second, stole third and then scored on an RBI single by Dominique Lastrapes. They added two more runs in the second inning, using a squeeze bunt by Nicole Moojen and an errant pickoff attempt by Alabama catcher Ashley Holcombe to take a 3-0 lead.

Alabama struck back in the third, using an error and two hits to tie the game at 3-3 [HTML_REMOVED] but it could have been worse. After tying the score, the Crimson Tide still had the bases loaded with nobody out, but UW ace Danielle Lawrie struck out a batter and coaxed two flyouts to escape what could have been a disastrous inning for the Dawgs.

Instead, the score remained tied until the bottom of the fourth, when Washington postseason hero Lauren Greer lined a solo home run over the left center field fence for what would prove to be the game-winning run. Lawrie shut down the Tide the rest of the way, and the Huskies escaped with a 4-3 win.

"When she threw the right (pitch), I hit it and it worked out pretty well," Greer said of Blair Potter's 2-2 curveball.

Saturday, it appeared as if the Huskies were going to run away with another victory and punch their ticket to Oklahoma City rather easily [HTML_REMOVED] but again, the Tide had other plans.

After a fifth inning that saw an RBI double by Moojen and a two-run single by Lastrapes, the Huskies led 5-1. But Alabama countered in the bottom half of the frame, using a four-run inning highlighted by Charlotte Morgan's three-run double to tie the game at 5-5.

But when good teams are faced with adversity, they respond [HTML_REMOVED] and that's just what the Huskies did. With Lastrapes on second and Dena Tyson on first base with two outs in the top of the seventh, Greer again came through in the clutch with a single up the middle. Lastrapes beat the throw to the plate with an acrobatic leap over Holcombe, and Tyson was able to score on the overthrow to give the UW a 7-5 lead [HTML_REMOVED] the difference in the game.

"I was like, 'There is nothing that's going to stop me from scoring,'" Lastrapes said. "I'm going to score this run, and we're going to win this game."

Lawrie picked up the win in both games, pitching all 14 innings while allowing eight runs on 11 hits and striking out 19.

"It feels like nothing is getting in our way," Lawrie said. "There's more to happen."

Reach reporter Christian Caple at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.