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UW falls in first round

Oklahoma pitcher Kami Keiter, left, and catcher Heather Scaglione celebrate the win over UW.Oklahoma pitcher Kami Keiter, left, and catcher Heather Scaglione celebrate the win over UW. (Associated PressAssociated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
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Oklahoma pitcher Kami Keiter, left, and catcher Heather Scaglione celebrate the win over UW.Oklahoma pitcher Kami Keiter, left, and catcher Heather Scaglione celebrate the win over UW. (Associated PressAssociated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Washington softball team (40-18) could not overcome a four-run first inning by Oklahoma (45-20-1) and dropped its College World Series opener 6-2 Thurday.

The Huskies, who picked up their first ever loss in the CWS first round, move into the loser’s bracket and will face the loser of tonight’s California/ Florida State game on May 29 at 1 p.m. (PST). The game will be televised on ESPN2.

In other action, Sara Fitzgerald scored on a pair of throwing errors in the bottom of the 13th inning, giving LSU a 3-2 victory over Michigan in the first round of the NCAA softball tournament.

LSU will play defending champion UCLA, which got three RBIs apiece from Caitlin Benyi and Lisa Dodd to beat Stanford 8-2.

Fitzgerald singled for LSU with two outs and moved to second when Camille Harris beat out an infield single to shortstop Jessica Merchant. Fitzgerald moved to third when Merchant’s throw got away from first baseman Jennifer Olds and scored when catcher Monica Schock couldn’t handle right fielder Courtney Betley’s throw home.

Fitzgerald had stopped at third before Betley made her throw.

Grace Leutele hit a two-run home run to left field in the top of the 12th inning to give Michigan (54-12) a 2-0 lead.

The Tigers (55-10) came back to tie the game on an RBI single by Leigh Ann Danos and a passed ball by Schock.

In the second game, Benyi hit a three-run home run during a six-run fourth inning as the Bruins took a 7-2 lead.

Keira Goerl (28-7), who pitched a no-hitter in the championship game last year, pitched a complete game for UCLA, giving up five hits, including a solo home run by Leah Nelson.

In Game 3, Oklahoma’s first five runners reached base — three on singles and two on errors by Washington shortstop Amanda Oleson — as the Sooners took a 2-1 lead. After Jamie Fox struck out, Mariee Mena added a two-run single to give pitcher Kami Keiter (22-13) all the support she needed.

Oklahoma’s Kristin Vesely had a two-run double in the sixth.

Dena Tyson and Oleson had RBI singles for the Huskies, who beat Oklahoma in the first round of the tournament last year.

Ashley Boek (29-12) took the loss for Washington, scattering nine hits, walked three and struck out five.

Oklahoma will play the winner of the California-Florida State game.

UCLA came out of the loser’s bracket to win the NCAA title last season.