UCLA
Washington
Bruins' 35-Game Win Streak Halted by Huskies
June 21, 1999 | Softball
April 3, 1999
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
SEATTLE - The fourth-ranked Husky softball team handed No. 1 UCLA its first loss of the season, ending the second-longest winning streak in NCAA history at 35 games, in the first game of a doubleheader at Husky Softball Stadium. After UW took the first game, 4-1, the Bruins came from behind in the second to win, 7-3. Washington is now 25-7 and 3-2, with the Bruins 35-1 and 5-1.
The difference of the day, on which an outstanding Washington pitching staff faced the stellar Bruin bats, proved to be the defense. In each game, the loser made three errors while the victor played flawlessly in the field.
Junior Jamie Graves (15-4) allowed six hits but just one run, striking out three and walking one in picking up the complete-game win. It is the second straight year that she has knocked off the No. 1 team, beating Arizona last year in Tucson, 9-0. UW got seven hits in the game to six by the Bruins.
The Huskies jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the end of the third. The first run came in the second when junior Jennifer Spediacci singled to right field. Junior Erin Helgeland reached first on a fielder's choice and moved Spediacci to second. Graves then singled to move the runners one base before Spediacci scored on an error by the third baseman.
In the next frame, sophomore Kelly Hauxhurst singled and was sacrificed to second by sophomore Kim DePaul. A double by senior Becky Newbry sent Hauxhurst home, and an error on junior Melissa Downs' at-bat allowed DePaul to round the bases.
UCLA got a home run in the top of the fourth by Lyndsey Klein but managed no other runs.
Washington added one more to the scoreboard in the sixth. Downs singled, and pinch runner Becky Simpson moved to second off an error on Spediacci's sacrifice. Graves grounded out to second but moved Simpson to third, who then scored on a wild pitch.
In the nightcap, the Dawgs jumped out to a 3-0 lead again by the bottom of the fourth, but a Bruin grand slam in the top of the fifth helped UCLA take a 6-3 lead. Washington junior Rosie Leutzinger singled in the third and moved to second with Hauxhurst at the plate. DePaul then doubled Leutzinger home.
The Huskies scored two more in the fourth. Spediacci picked up her 17th walk of the season, took second on an illegal pitch, and advanced to third on a long fly top right field by freshman Shannon Walsh. Helgeland also walked and stole second before a single by junior Jeanine Giordano sent Spediacci and Helgeland home.
But six hits, including the grand slam, and a Husky error in the fifth gave UCLA six runs and a lead it would not relinquish. The Bruins added another run in the sixth for the final count.
Spediacci (9-3) struck out five in five innings in the loss, with Graves picking up another strikeout in the final two frames.
"In the first game, we executed our bunts as well as we have all year," UW head coach Teresa Wilson said. "We did an excellent job of getting the ball down and advancing the runners. Jamie didn't have a great day but she moved the ball around enough to keep them off balance.
"We put ourselves in position to win both games. You have to be pleased anytime you jump out to a 3-0 lead against the Bruins, and we did it twice. With our pitching we should be able to hold them, but our defense didn't quite get it done. But it's good for our team to know they should have swept them."
Game One
UCLA 000 100 0 - 1 6 3 Washington 012 001 x - 4 7 0Amanda Freed and Stacey Nuveman; Jamie Graves and Jeanine Giordano. WP-Graves (15-4). LP-Freed (16-1). LOB-UCLA 6, UW 5. 2B-UW: DePaul, Newbry. HR-UCLA: Klein.
Game Two
UCLA 000 061 0 - 7 10 0 Washington 001 200 0 - 3 4 3Courtney Dale and Stacey Nuveman; Jennifer Spediacci, Jamie Graves (6) and Jeanine Giordano. WP-Dale (17-0). LP-Spediacci (9-3). LOB-UCLA 6, UW 6. 2B-UW: DePaul. HR-UCLA: Nuveman.
