LAS VEGAS – The No. 3 Huskies scored their first run against UC Davis on Sunday after just three batters. The Huskies never looked back from there.
The Huskies (5-0) scored 16 runs on 19 hits en route to a thorough 16-2 defeat of the Aggies, and a 5-0 record at the UNLV Sportco Kick-Off Classic in Las Vegas this weekend. The Huskies opened the tournament Friday with a 7-4 win over Baylor and a 3-0 shutout against the University of San Diego. On Saturday, the Huskies defeated Arkansas, 6-1, and beat host school UNLV, 7-1.
“It was really good for this team to get out on the field and compete as one,” head coach Heather Tarr said. “It was a really good weekend to get everybody in synch, understanding their roles, and off to a good start.”
The Huskies 16 runs were the most they have scored since March 8, 2013, when they defeated Ohio, 17-1.
Kasey Stanchek made her first start of the season on Sunday against UC Davis and tossed 5.0 solid innings on her way to picking up her first win.
The Huskies plated three runs in the top of the 1st inning, as Victoria Hayward led off with a single and a stolen base. One batter later, Kaitlin Inglesby singled to score Hayward. Kylee Lahners followed with a double and later came around to score with Inglesby on an error.
The Aggies (1-4) responded with two runs in the bottom of the 1st, but it would not be long before the Huskies extended their lead again. The Huskies sent 17 batters to the plate in the top of the 2nd, scoring 11 runs to take a commanding 14-2 lead.
Whitney Jones started the rally for the Huskies with a double, and the next seven consecutive batters reached base for the Huskies to start the 2nd inning
Hayward – one of six Huskies with two hits – finished the day 2-for-2, with three runs scored, and one RBI, while Inglesby went 2-for-2, with three runs scored, two RBI, and two walks.
It was a day of firsts for many Huskies. Senior pitcher Bryana Walker made her first collegiate at-bat and drove a single to left field. Freshman catcher Bridget Raftery made her first collegiate start and recorded her first collegiate hit, a single. Redshirt freshman Makenzie Pletcher was hit by a pitch in her first collegiate at-bat in the 4th inning.
The Huskies will be back on the road again next weekend at the Littlewood Classic in Tempe, Ariz, beginning on Friday, February 14 at 9:00 a.m. against Illinois State. The Huskies will play 5 games over three days, including a matchup with 2013 national champions Oklahoma on Saturday, February 15, 2014 at 8:15 p.m. Complete schedule information is available here. Mike Brown, the Voice of Husky Softball, will broadcast each of the Huskies games at the Littlewood Classic here.
Short Hops
Senior Kaitlin Inglesby set a career high with seven assists when she made the start against the University of San Diego on Saturday. Her previous high was five.
Junior Kylee Lahners hit a three-run home run in each of the Huskies first three games of the season. Lahners finished the weekend batting .400 with three home runs and 13 RBI.
Five players made their collegiate debut over the weekend. Freshmen Ali Aguilar, Kimberlee Myers, Bridget Raftery, and Rylleigh Zbarachuk, along with redshirt freshman Makenzie Pletcher, got their first game action for the Huskies.
Aguilar hit her first career home run, a three-run blast – on Saturday night against UNLV.
