Later, Gators

OKLAHOMA CITY - It wasn't clean, or crisp, necessarily, or any of the other things that would normally typify the play of a collegiate softball national champion. It probably wasn't even their best effort of the Women's College World Series (WCWS). But for Washington, it was enough - for a win, for the most coveted of softball distinctions and for yearlong bragging rights from the West Coast through the deepest reaches of SEC country. Seattle, at long last, is the NCAA's softball title town. This year's UW squad made the most emphatic imprint of any during the school's storied softball history last night, holding off No. 1 Florida behind a gutsy effort from pitcher Danielle Lawrie in a 3-2 win at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium to claim the program's first national championship. "I knew when we recruited Danielle's class that we were going to have the potential to do this," said UW head coach Heather Tarr. "For it to become a reality, and to do it the right way, I can't even put into words." She wasn't the only one who struggled with her vocabulary. "Words can't really describe," said UW senior All-American Ashley Charters. "We've had a very tough road to get here, but we wouldn't have been here if it was easy." That it wasn't. The Huskies spent three weeks on the road during the postseason, never returning to Seattle between trips to Amherst, Mass., Atlanta and Oklahoma City, unable to host any round because they don't have lights at their stadium. Instead, they lit up the World Series. "We have an amazing group of young women who went through the toughest road anybody had to hoe to get here," Tarr said. "And ultimately, I think that's what caused this to happen." Lawrie didn't dominate like she did in Monday night's 8-0 win over Florida. Last night's effort was instead a showcase of grit and resolve, as the National Collegiate Player of the Year and WCWS Most Outstanding Player worked her way out of jam after jam, allowing a runner to reach third base in three of the final six innings but never relenting against one of the nation's most dangerous offenses. She seemed to thrive with runners on base, no more so than when Florida left fielder Francesca Enea lined a double off the wall with one out in the seventh, and Kelsey Bruder walked one batter later to set this World Series stage for the highest of drama. "I was just thinking, 'No, no, no,'" Lawrie said. "We've worked too hard for this to happen right now. No. It just wasn't going to happen." So of course, it didn't. Lawrie fanned Megan Bush and Ali Gardiner - two of her eight strikeout victims - to end the game and cement her place atop a lengthy list of UW pitching legends. "She's the best," Tarr said. "There have been some pretty good ones that have played here: Jennifer Spediacci, Heather Meyer. Lots of good ones. I played with both of them. Coaching somebody like [Lawrie] is just a gift, and it's awesome because she does things the right way and works hard." One day after taking an 8-0 beating, it was obvious early that Florida came to play this time. The Gators jumped all over Lawrie in the first, scoring a run and loading the bases before Lawrie even got an out - and the first batter she retired was on a sacrifice fly, which gave UF a 2-0 lead just five batters into the game. The next batter lined out to Ashley Charters at second base, and Charters fired the ball to third to double off Francesca Enea to end the inning. But the Huskies, quick to respond during this entire tournament, didn't even let Florida get comfortable for an inning. Charters and Kimi Pohlman led off the bottom of the first with singles, then a base hit by Lawrie scored Charters before Pohlman crossed the plate on a wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2. Pohlman scored the game-deciding run two innings later when UF starter Stacey Nelson bobbled a comebacker with the bases loaded. For Tarr, it's been a long time coming. "I just know how hard it is to get one of these," said Tarr, who played for the Huskies from 1994-97 and was on the UW team that lost in the 1996 national title game. "So it was always my vision to believe that this was something we were going to be capable of doing as a program because of the things that had been laid before us." The softball world bows before them now. Reach reporter Christian Caple at sports@dailyuw.com.

Later, Gators

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