La Jolla, Calif. (May 9) – Under cloudy skies, the Central Washington University softball team took on host UC San Diego in the opening round of the NCAA West Regionals. One timely hit proved costly for the Wildcats as the Tritons took the game 2-1.
The close scoring contest between the Wildcats (33-19) and Tritons (32-14) provided plenty of drama. The game was tied at two during the bottom of the second inning. Mikaila Reyes smacked a ball into the right center field gap. The Wildcats'
Katie Kastning made a play on the ball, but it bounced out of her glove and hit the outfield grass. Isabel Lavrov followed with a walk, putting runners on first and second with one out.
Lexie Strasser (18-12) was put in a tough situation, but would work her way around the base runner. Brittney Ross-Smith bounced into a fielder's choice. With two outs in the inning, Danielle Stedman hit a come-backer that was fielded by Strasser and flipped to first for the final out of the inning.
Kastning stepped to the plate in the bottom of the third inning and would more than make up for her error in the previous half inning. Kastning unloaded on a pitch, driving it over the right center field fence for a solo home run. Midway through the third, the Wildcats owned a 1-0 lead.
The fifth inning proved to be pivotal in the game. In the top half,
Savannah Egbert reached base with a solid single to left field. On the very next pitch, Egbert took off towards second. It was a close, but Egbert slid in safely. The Wildcats had a runner on second with one out in the inning.
Maddy Zerr stepped into the batter's box with two outs and Egbert on Second. Zerr blasted a ball high and deep. Tritons' left fielder Keila Bosinger raced back and made a fantastic catch at the wall, taking away extra bases from Zerr, and a run from the Wildcats.
There was one out in the bottom half of the fifth when Stedman reached on bunt. An infield single from Maddy Lewis put runners on first and second with one out for the Tritons. A sacrifice bunt from Danica Kazakoff set up a huge situation for Bosinger. Bosinger came through for the host team, hitting a single into right field that plated both Stedman and Leiws. The Tritons took a 2-1 at the end of five innings.
The Wildcats were unable to counter the huge hit from the Tritons and fell 2-1. Strasser pitched well, going six innings while allowed six hits. Strasser struck out one and just walked one. Of the 26 batters faced by Strasser, she forced 10 fly outs and seven ground outs.
Strasser was aided by fabulous defense from the Wildcats.
Sydney Brown was strong at short stop. Brown made a diving grab to end the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Wildcats take on the loser of Chico State and Sonoma State tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. in an elimination game.
