One down: Huskies edge Bulldogs in World Series opener

May 29, 2009, 12:00 AM

Two days after UW veteran ace Danielle Lawrie was named as the best player in the nation, it was her freshmen teammates who made the No. 3 Washington softball team's route to a national title a little bit easier. Niki Williams hit a two-run homer to right field in the fourth inning yesterday, and Kimi Pohlman added an RBI single in the sixth to provide insurance for Lawrie's complete game effort in the Huskies' 3-1 win over No. 6 Georgia in the opening round of the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. Washington faces No. 10 Arizona State in the second round today. "I think it was a game played as we expected," UW head coach Heather Tarr told reporters. "We would have liked to score a few more runs there, but nevertheless, I am proud of how we played defense behind Danielle [Lawire]. And she seemed to get her rhythm later in the game and that's good to see." Lawrie did struggle to find a groove early on, allowing runners to reach base in each of the first three innings. But she worked out of trouble whenever anyone got into scoring position and ended up scattering six hits and allowing just the one run: an RBI double by Taylor Schlopy in the top of the fifth. Lawrie retired the next two batters of that inning to preserve the UW's 2-1 lead at the time. "After we win, I don't care how I threw," Lawrie told reporters. "There are things I will look for when we play next, and I want to do better. If I didn't pitch exactly as I wanted to, it means nothing now. I know what type of player I am and what I am going to bring to Friday's game." It was Williams who made sure the Huskies wouldn't meet the same fate they did in their most recent game against Georgia, which the Bulldogs won 2-0 earlier this season at the SEC/Pac-10/Big 12 challenge. That loss was Lawrie's first of the year and came after the UW had beaten Georgia 6-0 the day before. This time around, they used a two-out rally to break the ice. Lauren Greer walked with two outs in the fourth, then Williams - who said she had been jammed in her first at-bat and backed off the plate the second time around - came through with her third homer of the year. "I scooted off the plate a little bit, had the timing slap and got my hands through," Williams told reporters. Christie Hamilton took the loss for Georgia, going the distance while allowing seven hits and three runs, all earned. Pohlman was the only UW player with two hits, the second of which scored Bailey Stenson in the sixth to give Lawrie a little added breathing room. Lawrie allowed Georgia to make it interesting in the seventh but got Schlopy to ground into a double play to end it and allow the Huskies to advance to today's quarterfinals. "Georgia has seen us twice and you just don't know what you are going to get from them," Tarr said. "It was just great to have a clutch hit by Niki Williams and get out of there winning the game." Reach sports editor Christian Caple at sports@dailyuw.com.

Stay up to Date

Subscribe to our weekly newsletters covering the news, arts, and sports.

One down: Huskies edge Bulldogs in World Series opener

Disruptor interrupts Psych 210, professor and students chase man on to Red Square

2025 Seattle and King County primary election endorsements

UW mechanical engineering students are now required to pay $250 quarterly fee to participate in department-affiliated RSOs

College Inn Pub reopens under new ownership