Washington stops Hawaii softball by mercy rule

Washington’s Madison Huskey launched a pair of two-run home runs in the eighth-ranked Huskies’ 11-3, five-inning win over the Hawaii softball team on Friday at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.

Huskey, a junior right fielder, and senior Noelle Hee hit back-to-back homers to ignite Washington’s five-run outburst in the third inning. Huskey went deep again to left field with one out in the fourth to give the Huskies (15-2) a 9-1 lead.

UW left fielder Sami Reynolds went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs. She opened the scoring with an RBI double off the left-field fence in the top of the first.

Washington right-hander Kelley Lynch struck out six, walked five and limited UH (0-2) to two hits in a complete-game victory. Lynch also went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI.

Rainbow Wahine senior Angelique Ramos accounted for all of UH’s scoring with a sacrifice fly in the third inning and a two-run homer with two out in the fifth. Freshman Mya’Liah Bethea delivered UH’s first hit with a line-drive double into the left-center gap in the third.

UH starter Ashley Murphy gave up seven runs, five earned, on nine hits in 21⁄3 innings and took the loss.

Washington took a 2-0 lead in the first and UH threatened in the second when Lynch walked the bases loaded. But Lynch escaped with a strikeout and the Huskies took control with homers by Huskey and Hee in the third.

The series finale is set for 2 p.m. today at RWSS.