On Monday night, the Stanford Cardinal women’s softball team defeated the Washington Huskies to end their Women’s College World Series run. The Cardinal, who had won the first two games of the best-of-three series, took the decisive third game by a score of 8-3.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading runs in the early innings. The Huskies took an early lead with a two-run home run in the first inning, but the Cardinal responded with four runs in the second inning to take the lead. Washington tied the game in the fourth inning, but Stanford scored four more runs in the fifth and sixth innings to seal the victory.
The win was a huge accomplishment for the Cardinal, who had not won a Women’s College World Series since 2004. The team was led by pitcher Carolyn Lee, who threw a complete game and allowed only three runs on seven hits. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the series for her efforts.
The Huskies had made a remarkable run to the championship series, winning five straight games after dropping their first two games of the tournament. They were led by pitcher Taran Alvelo, who threw a complete game in the final game and allowed only three runs on seven hits.
The victory was a huge accomplishment for Stanford, who will now move on to the NCAA Super Regionals. The team will face either Oregon or UCLA in the next round, with the winner advancing to the Women’s College World Series.
The loss was a bitter pill for the Huskies, who had come so close to winning their first Women’s College World Series title since 2009. Despite the loss, they can take pride in their accomplishments this season and look forward to next year with optimism.
Overall, Stanford’s victory over Washington was a thrilling conclusion to an exciting Women’s College World Series. The Cardinal showed great resilience and determination to come back from an early deficit and secure the win. They will now look to carry this momentum into the Super Regionals and beyond.
