“Purple” takes 2-0 lead in Purple-and-Gold series

SEATTLE – The offense came alive for both teams in game two of the Purple-and-Gold series, but it was the “Purple” team that prevailed with a 5-4 victory, their 2nd win of the series, Wednesday at Husky Softball Stadium.

The “Gold” team bounced back from having just one hit on Tuesday, with a 2-run 1st inning against Hailey Bator. Senior Kaitlin Inglesby led off with a double, and with two outs, senior Whitney Jones and freshman Bridget Raftery hit back-to-back RBI-singles.

But the “Gold” team was not able to hold the lead for long, as the “Purple” team plated 4 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning against junior Kasey Stanchek. Senior Victoria Hayward started the rally with a single. Then freshman Ali Aguilar hit her second home run of the fall season. Three batters later, junior Courtney Gano hit a two-run home run, scoring senior Hooch Fagaly, to give the “Purple” team a 4-2 lead.

“I kind of struggled yesterday, so I came into today with a different mindset,” Gano said. “That swing felt good.”

The “Purple” team added another run in the bottom of the 2nd, when Hayward scored on a sacrifice from Fagaly for a 5-2 lead.

Inglesby led off the top of the 3rd with a double, the first of three consecutive extra-base hits for the “Gold” team. After Inglesby’s double, senior Kelli Suguro hit a triple and sophomore Dani Braun followed with a double, cutting “Purple’s” lead to one run, 5-4.

“Offensively, we came alive, and I think we did what we were supposed to do,” Inglesby said. “We just left crucial runners on base. I think we hit the ball really well, and that’s good motivation for us going into tomorrow.”

Bator held the “Gold” team scoreless for the final two innings, securing a 5-4 win for the “Purple” team.

“There’s always another game, so that’s what we’re focused on tomorrow” Inglesby said. “That’s the big game. We see it game-to-game. Our mindset is to come out and compete everyday, taking it one game at a time.”

There will be a lot on the line Thursday when the Huskies wrap up the Purple-and-Gold series with a scrimmage at 4 p.m. at Husky Softball Stadium. The scrimmage is open to the public.

Inglesby is playing in her fourth Purple-and-Gold series. She is 3-0 and determined to keep her winning streak alive.

“We’re not going down,” Inglesby said. “I’m not losing my senior year.”