LAS VEGAS – (Feb. 17) Seattle University softball walked off against Nevada, 2-1, at the Marucci Desert Classic Saturday. The Redhawks also put together a seven-run rally against San Jose State, but fell, 10-8, to settle for a split.
“To have a kid feel like she lost the first game and then come back and drive in the winning run in the next game says a lot about this team,” said Coach Geoff Hirai. “We came back from a tough loss and showed a lot of heart today. We needed someone to step up and Andie (Larkins) put us on her back with a big performance in the circle.”
Andie Larkins and Carley Nance combined to throw a terrific game against Nevada. Larkins gave up a run in the top of the first, but the junior held the Wolf Pack down from there. She threw a 1-2-3 second and then worked around a walk and a single to keep Nevada off the board in the third.
In the fourth, Sara Dominguez threw out a Wolf Pack stolen base attempt, ending a threat and keeping the Redhawks within a run. Larkins followed with a perfect fifth. Madison Cathcart doubled to open the bottom of the fifth and an error later in the frame allowed SU to tie the game at 1.
Nevada hit a two-out double in the sixth, but Larkins picked up a strikeout to send Seattle U (6-3) back to bat. With the game still even at 1, the Wolf Pack led off the seventh with a double. Nance relieved Larkins and, after a walk, struck out the side.
Kaylee Ree reached on an error to start the bottom of the seventh and moved to second on a Cathcart groundout. Savannah Loomis got aboard via error, pushing Ree to third with one out. Maddy Kristjanson’s sac fly to right drove in Ree as the Redhawks claimed their second walk-off win of the young season.
Larkins tossed six frames, giving up five hits and one run. She struck out five. Nance threw the seventh, getting the win to improve to 4-1.
SU and San Jose State squared off in what turned out to be a wild affair Saturday afternoon. The Spartans went ahead, 2-0, but a Breanna Timmons RBI single cut the deficit in half in the second inning. SJSU put up five more runs, however, going up, 7-1, through four frames. Seattle U worked its way back, though, eventually taking an 8-7 lead.
Nicole Bolasky led off the top of the fifth with a single. Ree reached via error and Cathcart made the Spartans pay, blasting a three-run home run to make it 7-4. Nance threw a 1-2-3 fifth to bring the Redhawks back to the dish. Susanne Morris got on due to an SJSU miscue and Timmons singled. Another Spartan error allowed Molly Campbell to reach, loading the bases. SJSU made a pitching change and earned an out. However, a passed ball brought in a run and then Ally Choate hit an RBI single to plate Timmons. Ree then walked to reload the bases. With two outs, Loomis came through with a two-run single, putting SU up, 8-7. The Spartans answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth, though, and SU was unable to respond as SJSU claimed a 10-8 decision.
Choate went 3-5 with two runs and an RBI. Cathcart posted two hits with three RBIs and a run scored, while Loomis and Timmons had two hits apiece.
Seattle U wraps up action in Las Vegas with a game at UNLV Sunday. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m.