(Photo Courtesy of Washington Athletics)
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The No. 2 Huskies earned one victory in two close games Friday at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. Playing under clear blue skies with temperatures in the 80s, the Huskies (12-2) defeated No. 25 Texas, 3-2, in their first game before falling to Northwestern, 4-2.
Kaitlin Inglesby made the start vs. the Longhorns (7-8), and earned the victory, tossing 7.0 innings while allowing two earned runs and striking out seven. For Inglesby (4-1), it was her 60th career complete-game and her 4th this season.
The Huskies got all three of their runs in the top of the 2nd inning to give Inglesby a cushion throughout the game. Whitney Jones started the rally in the 2nd with a one-out single, followed by Marki Creger-Zier and Courtney Gano both reaching base on fielder’s choices. All three eventually came around to score, highlighted by a RBI-single from Victoria Hayward.
The Longhorns cut the Huskies lead to one, with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 4th inning. But Inglesby kept Texas from scoring the rest of the way to preserve the Huskies win.
Bryana Walker made the start in game two against Northwestern and took the loss, as she gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits. Walker (7-1) struck out eight batters.
The Wildcats (8-2) scored a run in the bottom of the 1st inning and left the bases loaded, despite registering just one base hit. Facing a base-loaded, no-out situation, Walker got two strikeouts and a pop-out to hold Northwestern to just one run.
The Huskies tied the game at 1 in the top of the 3rd, as Gano walked, stole 2nd base, advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher, and scored on a wild pitch.
Northwestern stretched their lead to three, with a three-run home run in the 5th, taking a 4-1 lead. The Huskies would threaten over the last two innings, scoring a run in the 6th on an RBI-single by Kylee Lahners.
Down by two, 4-2, entering the top of the 7th, the Huskies brought the go-ahead run to the plate after walks to Gano and Jennie McNeill. But the Wildcats got a strikeout and a groundball to end the game.
The Huskies are back at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic to play their fifth and final game of the tournament against BYU (6-8) on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 8:00 p.m.
