UW opens softball regional with victory
The top-seeded Washington softball team (32-20) used RBI singles by Sarah Hyatt and Caitlin Noble in the bottom of the 11th inning to defeat Creighton (44-12) 2-1 in the opening game of the NCAA Regional Tournament in Lincoln, Neb., on Friday.
Pitchers Ashley Boek and Tammy Nielson dominated the game, giving up just two hits apiece before the 11th inning. Boek struck out 18 batters to tie the school record, while Nielsen struck out 10.
Nebraska defeated Iowa 4-0 earlier Friday. The Huskies and Huskers will play in a winners bracket game this morning. Creighton and Iowa will play in the elimination game later with that winner playing the loser of the UW/Nebraska game in the day’s finale.
•Five CC Spokane players have been named to the NWAACC Eastern Region All-Star first team. All freshmen, the players are outfielders Stephanie Day and Jessica Miles, infielder Morgan Thomsen, designated player Monica Judd, and pitcher Jessie LaPlante.
The Sasquatch boasted a 20-8 league record and finished second in the Eastern Conference.
•Mindy Middagh and Paula Hicula hit home runs for Clackamas as it defeated CC Spokane 6-5 in the first round of the NWAACC tournament in Portland. The Sasquatch (24-15) play Mt. Hood at 9 a.m. today.
Basketball
The University of Idaho men’s basketball team has added Mitchell Johnson, a transfer from Division II Franklin Pierce College. Vandal fans will have to wait until 2006 to see the 6-5, 195-pound Johnson in action as he sits out the mandatory season.
Johnson, who initially signed with the University of New Orleans before attending Franklin Pierce, was a member of the Bahamian Junior National Team.
At Franklin Pierce last season, he averaged 14.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He shot 36 percent from 3-point range – and made 81 – as he reached double figures in 20 of 28 games.
He was chosen to the all-Northeast 10 Athletic Conference all-freshmen team.
Johnson is a native of the Bahamas and is a 2004 graduate of Cushing Academy at Ashburnham, Mass.