Washington
Indiana softball drops heartbreaker to Washington in opening game of Columbia Regional
Washington won in walk-off fashion over Indiana softball on Friday afternoon in the opening round of the Columbia Regional at Missouri Softball Stadium.
The Hoosiers were down to their last out in the seventh, but tied the game on a RBI double from Avery Parker only to give up the lead in the bottom of inning — freshman Giselle Alvarez hit a double on a 3-2 count and two outs — with Sophie Kleiman taking the loss in relief.
Indiana (40-19) lost 8-7 to a Huskies team that had lost four straight games coming into the NCAA tournament and six of their last seven. The loss sets up an elimination game for the Hoosiers on Saturday against the loser of the game between Missouri and Omaha on Friday night.
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Indiana softball can’t hold onto the lead
Indiana pounced on Washington ace Ruby Meylan when she entered the game in the fifth inning.
The Hoosiers limited two-time first-team All-Pac 12 pitcher to the shortest appearance of her career (she only recorded two outs) to take their first lead of the game with four runs in the inning.
Meylan entered the game in the fifth with her team leading 4-1 and the bottom of the order coming up.
Cora Bassett and Brooke Benson led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Washington allowed Bassett to score on a miscue in the infield when catcher Sydney Stewart tried to throw to second base and Meylan thought she was throwing back to the mound.
The ball bounced off Meylan’s glove and the Hoosiers cut the lead to 4-2. Taylor Minnick followed that up with an RBI double.
Meylan exited the game after getting only two outs. It’s the first time in her career she didn’t pitch at least a full inning.
Lopez re-entered the game and Stone crushed a two-run home run on the first pitch she saw to give Indiana a 5-4 lead. Freshman Alex Cooper hit a home run in the top of the sixth inning off the top of the center field wall.
Washington rallied in the sixth inning.
Olivia Johnson knocked in two runs with a shallow single to right field to tie the game 6-6. The Huskies scored the go-ahead run on what looked like a sure out at second base.
The Hoosiers tried to get the lead runner when Brooklyn Carter sent a softly hit ball to first base, but the throw bounced off Brooke Benson’s glove at second and Johnson just kept on running as the shortstop held onto the ball in the outfield.
Indiana was credited with two fielding errors on the play.
Indiana softball falls behind early
Washington went up 2-0 in the bottom of the second.
Huskies first baseman Brooke Nelson worked a leadoff walk off starting pitcher Brianna Copelan and scored on a double from Alana Johnson. Johnson reached third on a throwing error on the play and scored on Kinsey Fiedler’s sacrifice fly to center.
Indiana got on the board in the top of the fourth when Stone crushed the second pitch she saw off the fence in center field for her first triple of the season (fourth of her career). Aly VanBrandt laid down a perfect suicide squeeze in front of the plate that scored pinch runner Cassidy Kettleman.
The momentum was short-lived.
Washington led off the bottom of the inning with three straight hits that scored a pair of runs. Johnson led off the inning with another double and scored on an RBI triple from Fielder that landed just outside of the outstretched glove of Kettleman in center.
Indiana made a pitching change after Sydney Stewart hit an RBI single with Sophie Kleiman replacing Copeland. Copeland gave up six hits (three extra-base hits) and a walk in three innings.
Kleiman worked out of the jam thanks in part to a nice catch in foul territory on the first base line from Stone.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
Bolt transitions into role after driving impact as Fractional CMO earlier this season
Washington, D.C. (12/15/2025) – The Washington Spirit today announced the appointment of Kim Bolt as Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, a newly created executive role that reflects the club’s continued evolution into a high-performance, growth-oriented organization.
Bolt transitions into the role after joining the Spirit earlier this season as Fractional Chief Marketing Officer, where she played a key role in strengthening the club’s marketing strategy, analytics foundation and demand-generation efforts during a pivotal stretch of the year.
In her expanded role, Bolt will oversee Marketing, Communications, Brand, Strategy and Analytics, with a mandate to build a modern, data-driven commercial engine that accelerates fan growth, deepens engagement, elevates the Spirit’s brand and supports the club’s long-term ambitions on and off the pitch.
With more than 20 years of marketing and strategy leadership across technology, fitness and sports, Bolt brings deep experience scaling mission-driven brands. Her career includes senior leadership roles at Google, Lyft, Under Armour and Disney, as well as serving as Chief Marketing Officer of the Washington Nationals. An expert in marketing technology centered around fan data, Bolt has also advised League One Volleyball and served as Fractional CMO for OnDeck Partners, an Avenue Sports Fund portfolio company focused on minor league baseball.
“As we evolve from a team that wins into an organization built for sustained excellence, Kim’s experience and mindset are exactly what we need,” said Kim Stone, CEO of the Washington Spirit. “She understands this market, this moment and the scale of the opportunity in front of us. Her global brand experience, strategic rigor and early impact with our organization strengthen the foundation we’re building and position us for long-term, sustainable growth.”
A former youth soccer player, Bolt was drawn to the sports industry by her belief in its unique ability to create emotional connection and lifelong memories, a passion shaped early by her family’s love of the game. Throughout her career, Bolt has championed a leadership style grounded in empathy, resilience and accountability. She is committed to supporting women in sports and business and believes high performance and personal balance can, and should, coexist.
“The first time my daughters came to a Spirit match, they memorized the roster and their eyes lit up when they saw a player who looked like them,” said Bolt. “That was the moment I knew I wanted to be part of this organization. Having worked closely with the team this season, I’ve seen firsthand the ambition, the talent and the opportunity ahead. I’m honored to step into this role and help build a brand and growth engine that matches the excellence we’re striving for on the field.”
Bolt resides in Silver Spring, Maryland with her husband, three children and two dogs. She holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania as well as a master’s degree in Communications and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cornell University. As the Spirit’s first Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer, Bolt will lead the club through the offseason and into the 2026 season, helping shape the next chapter of the organization’s growth.
About The Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012, and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Receding waters allowed residents of Burlington, Washington, to assess damage and clean up after record flooding. (AP video: Manuel Valdes)
Receding waters allowed residents of Burlington, Washington, to assess damage and clean up after record flooding. (AP video: Manuel Valdes)
The New York Giants (2-11) and Washington Commanders (3-10) will square off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 15 matchup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Opening the week, the Giants were listed as 1.5-point home favorites, but that line has shifted slightly with New York now at -2.5 as of this writing.
With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Commanders Wire managing editor Bryan Manning.
Is Daniel Snyder back in charge? Explain the fall from NFC Championship Game to 3-10.
Manning: There have been so many factors in Washington’s fall this year. The year they’re having right now is probably the one everyone expected a year ago. The roster was in bad shape due to Ron Rivera whiffing on four drafts, but GM Adam Peters needs more from his draft picks. Is it coaching? We’ve already seen the DC “reassigned.” Injuries have played a role. Look, I saw questions on this roster before the injuries, but they haven’t helped. Daniels being in and out of the lineup hasn’t helped. McLaurin holding out over the summer really changed things. When you add it all together, it’s the perfect storm of terrible.
It’s been an odd season for Jayden Daniels, who is now out on Sunday. What have you seen from him in Year 2, and what do you expect from him moving forward?
Jayden has been let down a bit by the team. If anyone watched him last year, they’d know he was the reason this team won 12 games and made it to the NFC championship. He erased deficits. No third down was too long. He was automatic on fourth downs. However, McLaurin’s holdout, Noah Brown being out for so long, and Austin Ekeler’s injury crushed the offense. A rotating cast of wide receivers, often called up from the practice squad, has hampered the offense. The injuries were more bad luck than anything. And I believe Jayden could play through them, outside of the initial elbow injury. This offseason should be about finding a 1B to McLaurin’s 1A.
What does the loss of Zach Ertz mean for Washington’s offense, especially with Marcus Mariota under center?
Losing Ertz hurts. While he had some issues with drops at times, and he was no longer a threat after the catch, the quarterbacks trusted Ertz. He consistently gets open, even at 35. A great leader, and he’s still a productive player. His shoes are big. The hope is Ben Sinnott can be the guy. I am not confident he is ready to do some of the things Ertz did. Mariota, like Daniels, always trusts Ertz on third downs and inside the red zone.
Jonathan Jones and Bobby Wagner are banged up. What do they mean to the defense, and who steps in if they can’t go on Sunday?
Jones missed a lot of time earlier this season. When he returned, the Commanders lost Marshon Lattimore and Trey Amos for the season. Jones is a solid veteran who can play inside and outside, and Washington doesn’t have a lot of cornerback depth now. The defense has stunk regardless of who has played in the secondary, so I am not sure we will notice much. Wagner is still a solid player, but teams wisely attack him in the passing game. That’s his weakness now as a 14th-year pro. He is still excellent against the run or as a blitzer. But he’s a massive liability in coverage. Jordan Magee has played a lot lately, but I would like to see him play the MIKE one entire game in place of Wagner, just to see what he can do.
How do you see Sunday’s game playing out, who wins, and what’s the final score?
These games are always crazy. I feel like it’s always the Giants and Commanders fighting for draft position late in the season. It’s unfortunate for both franchises. While I still like the future outlook for both teams, this game is for nothing more than who will pick higher in the draft. Although the players do not care. The Giants are playing better. Sure, the wins haven’t come, but they will on Sunday. Another close one, but New York wins, 24-20.
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