2002 NCAA softball Tournament -- Game 7
5/17/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Championship Regional 6
Alumni Field, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Friday, May 17 -- 7 p.m. -- Game 7
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Event: NCAA Softball Championship Regional 6 (Game 7)
Result: #6 Washington 4, Central Michigan 1
Records: Washington (46-16); CMU (39-16)
Next Washington Game: Saturday, May 18 -- vs. Michigan, 4:30 p.m.
Next Central Michigan Game: CMU eliminated with 1-2 regional record
Boek Shuts Down Chippewas as Huskies Stay Unbeaten
Boxscore
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- No. 1 seed Washington joined No. 2 seed Michigan as the only unbeaten teams remaining in NCAA Softball Regional 6 tonight (Friday, May 17) with a 4-1 win over Central Michigan at Alumni Field. Behind 10 strikeouts from freshman hurler Ashley Boek, the Huskies (46-16) grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top of the third and never looked back. Washington shortstop Jaime Clark went 2-3 with a pair of RBI, while Chippewa senior shortstop Becky Manson went 3-4 in a losing effort. The loss eliminates Central Michigan (39-16) from the tournament.
Washington struck first in the top of the second after Amanda Oleson sent a one-out double down the leftfield line and scored two hitters later when Courtney Jeffries drove a two-out single for an RBI. Washington threatened to add more in the second, but Jeffries was gunned down at the plate by Central Michigan rightfielder Christina Sobeck trying to score from second.
Although playing in their third game of the day, the Chippewas bounced right back and matched the Husky output with a run of their own in the second. Washington help the Chippewas cause with a two-out error, allowing Sarah Hamilton to score from third. Hamilton had led off the inning with a double and moved to third with two outs on an infield single.
The Huskies grabbed a lead they would not relinquish in the third when Clark drove in her first run of the day with a two-out single to rightfield, scoring Becky Simpson from second. Regaining the lead allowed Boek to settle in as she struck out a pair of batters in the third. However, a second Washington error to lead off the fourth led to Central Michigan putting runners on second and third with two outs and Lindsay Horvath at the plate. Boek came through with a strikeout to leave the tying and go-ahead runs stranded.
Central Michigan handed the Huskies an unearned run right back as part of a two-run Washington fourth that proved to be the final tally. Clark drove in Simpson for the second time with another single. After moving to second on a groundout, Clark took advantage of an errant throw to first from the second baseman to race home from second for the 4-1 lead.
Boek made sure that lead help up, but not without a threat from the Chippewas. After going down in order in the fifth, Central Michigan engineered one more serious threat in the sixth after a leadoff single was followed by an error to put runners on first and second with nobody out. The situation changed dramatically, however, when Central Michigan pinch runner Danessa Wolfe was picked off second and the ensuing hitter popped up on the infield for two quick outs. A single by Natalie de la Vega did bring Manson to the plate with tying run, but Boek forced a groundout back to the mound to end the inning, and Central Michigan went 1-2-3 in the seventh.
Washington moves on to the final of the winner's bracket and a matchup with Michigan tomorrow (May 18) at 4:30 p.m. The winner earns a berth in Sunday's (May 19, 1 p.m.) championship game, while the loser turns right around tomorrow and faces No. 3 seed Ohio State in an elimination game at 7 p.m.
Q U O T E S
Washington Head Coach Teresa Wilson
On the game ... "Great job on Central Michigan's part to have had the last couple of days that they had and come out as aggressive as they did. They were fighting and they did a very, very nice job. We had to battle and we hung in there and got the job done. I am pleased with the outcome."
On committing four errors ... "We have had some errors this year at times and errors happen. It is a very hard field. Anytime you get used to a new field you have to learn to play the hops. You have to learn how the hops come about. A lot of rain has been on the field since we played our game yesterday so it plays a little differently. We could have adjusted a little bit sooner and did not. Give credit to Ashley (Boek). Every time we had some errors she found a way to help us get out of it. Good job by the team of shutting the door once people got on base."
On facing Michigan tomorrow ... "We are going to try to be us. We just want to come out and play solid softball and do the little things right -- execute, keep balance in our game, utilize our speed and just get a good all-around performance from every aspect of our game."
On Ashley Boek pitching the entire game ... "It was huge. That is the good part of having a three-pitcher staff this year. Every pitcher has contributed at some point. They all complement each other very well. For Ashley to come out here and get a full game under her belt today gives her a lot of postseason experience and builds confidence for her."
Washington Freshman Pitcher Ashley Boek
On starting the game as a freshman ... "I got the nervousness out at the beginning of the year. I am not nervous anymore. It is Regionals now but it is still a ball field and another team to face."
Washington Junior Shortstop Jaime Clark
On her error ... "I felt that if I could not play defense for us I might as well contribute offensively. Sometimes you can go through defensive slumps the same way you go through offensive slumps. I am working through it."
Central Michigan Head Coach Margo Jonker
On the game ... "I thought it was a good game. I thought Jenni Rasmussen did a nice job on the mound for us. She pitched well. You never like to see the season end but every team ends its season with a loss except for the national champs. We had a good year and I am proud of the team and how they played this year."
On missed scoring opportunities ... "We had a lot of opportunities to score and did not come through in a lot of situations. You certainly cannot say one person or one play was the problem. There were a lot of different plays that all of us could have done differently to win the game and didn't. So we did not win."
On keeping the team focused during the long day ... "It was just a matter of getting ready. Everyone knows that we are in regional play. I think that yesterday was longer for me than today with the rain delays and not knowing what we were going to do. That was a lot longer than today because today was just playing ball. Being on the field in game situations is where we are comfortable so that is not an issue."
Central Michigan Junior Outfielder Sarah Hamilton
On her performance at the plate ... "I was seeing the ball well. I was concentrating on keeping my weight back and just driving through it."
Central Michigan Senior Shortstop Becky Manson
On the end of her career ... "This is probably one of the most difficult times in my life right now, just for the fact that it is the last time that I get to put this uniform on and play with my friends. It is just a fun group that I am going to miss dearly."
On the game ... "I though we played extremely well against as good of a team as they are. We came out fired up and knew that we could play with them. We showed right from the bat that we were not just going to lay down. I thought we did really well as a team and stayed focused."
N O T E S
Washington pitcher Ashley Boek's 10 strikeouts in the contest are a career best.
