University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Washington (NCAA Regional)
Softball Falls To Washington, 8-0, in NCAA Tournament
May 18, 2001 | Softball
May 18, 2001
NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 2 seed University of Washington (39-21) defeated No. 4 seed Massachusetts (44-12), 8-0, in five innings today at the NCAA Women's Softball Regional #5 held at the University of Oklahoma Softball Complex.
Washington jumped on UMass starter Carrie Jeffries (Placentia, Calif.) for five runs off five hits in the top of the second inning. Second baseman Christie Rosenblad and designated player Courtney Jeffries drove in two runs apiece with singles, while catcher Amy Hanson knocked in one with single of her own before designated player Kaila Holtz (North Vancouver, BC) replaced Jeffries with no outs in the second. Holtz forced a groundout and struck out the other two batters she faced to end the inning.
Shortstop Emily Robustelli (Stamford, Conn.) got her second hit of the day, this one a triple to center field to lead off the bottom of the third. Two batters later, first baseman Brandi Cross (Diamond Bar, Calif.) walked and was replaced by pinch runner KC Budrewicz (Buckland, Mass.), who stole second to put two Minutewomen in scoring position. But UMass left the two stranded after leaving the bases loaded in the first.
The Huskies added three more runs in the fourth when left fielder Kelly Hauxhurst drove in center fielder Rita Roach, who reached base on an error by third baseman Cherra Wheeler (Kingsburg, Calif.), stole second and went to third on a groundout by right fielder Becky Simpson. Wheeler, who had just six errors through the first 55 games this season, recorded her second error of the inning when she overthrew Cross for what would have been the third out of the game, allowing short stop Jaime Clark reach first. Third baseman Kim DePaul followed that up with a single to center to plate both Hauxhurst and Clarke.
Jeffries got the loss, allowing five runs off five hits with no strikeouts and one walk to fall to 12-5. Holtz gave up three runs, all unearned, off six hits, struck out three and walked one Husky in four innings of work. UW starter Tia Bollinger held UMass scoreless on three hits, struck out six and walked one to improve to 35-6. Bollinger was replaced by Shannon Walsh in the fifth. Walsh faced four batters, hitting one and retiring the other three.
UMass won't know its next opponent or game time until the conclusion of today's nightcap between top seeded University of Oklahoma and No. 4 seed University of North Carolina. If Oklahoma wins, it sends UNC home with two losses. In that case, the Minutewomen would play the loser of Oklahoma and Washington 3:30 p.m. EDT game at 6:30 p.m. EDT tomorrow. If UNC wins, UMass will take on the Sooners at 1:00 p.m. EDT Saturday with the winner advancing to the 8:30 p.m. game against either Washington or UNC.
All UMass games throughout the regional can be heard on WHMP 1400 AM.
