Alyssa Washington was as important as anyone to Texas‘ 14-2 win over Northwestern during Saturday’s NCAA Tournament game during the 2024 Austin Regional.
Washington began her onslaught in the second inning with a two-run home run to left field to kick off her big game. She would only hit twice more in the game as the Longhorns would run-rule the Wildcats — both of which came during the bottom of the fourth inning as Texas poured on nine runs before the beginning of the fifth.
“It was just clear, simple doing my job,” Washington said after the win. “Sometimes in those moments you overthink too much and you’re trying to do too much but it’s just as simple as doing your job and providing for your team.”
She ultimately finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate with a two-run home run, two RBIs and three total runs.
It’s an especially strong performance for Washington, who feels as though she hasn’t been playing her best softball offensively as of late.
“It felt great out there just trying to figure out a way to provide for my team because I know in the past I’ve been struggling a little bit,” Washington admitted. “It took a lot of self-reflection on my part to be able to come out and reset and just forget the past and come out and do for my team.”
Now, the top-seeded Longhorns are 2-0 in the 2024 Austin Regional and are poised to host their own Super Regional as a favorite to make the 2024 College Softball World Series. Texas defeated Siena 5-0 during Friday’s opening NCAA Tournament game. Now, they’re seemingly hitting stride with a 14-run performance in five innings against Northwestern on Saturday.
“I love each and every one of these girls so much and we deserve it. We put in the work, we’ve done all the hard work off the field and in the classroom. It’s just — being able to lead these girls. It means the world to me. I love them,” she said.
With the Longhorns one win away from advancing to host a Super Regional, Texas still has to wait and see who they’ll face next in the round on Sunday. They play the victor of Game 5, which is between Northwestern and the winner of Siena and St. Francis (Pa.).
The first pitch on Sunday between the Longhorns and their soon-to-be-revealed opponent is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
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