The clutch hit never came, the thrilling comeback never happened.

Sixth-seeded Georgia softball fell to the third-seeded Washington Huskies 3-1 Thursday in the opening game of the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Washington pitcher Danielle Lawrie (38-7), the national player of the year, never gave up the lead in the back-and-forth contest and earned the win to advance the Huskies (47-11) into the winner’s bracket.

The All-American avoided damage numerous times during her complete game – allowing only one earned run on six hits and two walks, while striking out five batters.

Senior pitcher Christie Hamilton (24-9) matched Lawrie pitch for pitch for a good portion of the game, but allowed a few more key hits and walks to earn the loss.

Georgia (44-11) had produced two dramatic come-from-behind victories over Ohio State in the Super Regional, but as the opportunities kept presenting themselves, Lawrie continued to shut the door to prevent any Bulldog déj�-vu.

The Georgia lineup was able to put runners in scoring position in the two opening frames. Sophomore first-team All-American Taylor Schlopy reached third base after a lead-off walk in the first inning, followed by the Bulldogs putting runners on first and second base with one out in the second.

However, Lawrie escaped both jams with relative ease with a strikeout and two routine outs to hold down the Georgia lineup.

Georgia would go on to strand seven runners on-base in the contest, four of them in scoring position.

Hamilton played with fire in the first few innings as well, starting with the bottom of the first inning when the Huskies put runners on first and second. But the senior All-SEC pitcher induced a pop-out to keep Washington off the board.

Washington once again threatened in the bottom of the third inning, loading the bases with one out on a hit and two walks – but nothing a rare double play couldn’t handle. Washington third baseman Morgan Stuart grounded the ball back to Hamilton, who tossed the runner out at home to catcher Kristyn Sandberg, who then fired an accurate throw to first base to get out of the inning.

Niki Williams, the No. 9 hitter for the Huskies, finally broke the scoreless tie with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the 2-0 lead. The hit over the center field wall was only the third homer of Williams’ freshman season.

Georgia answered with back-to-back doubles by senior Kristin Schnake and Schlopy in the fifth to tighten the Washington lead to 2-1. The second double knocked in the sixth RBI for Schlopy in her last three games of the NCAA Super Regional and World Series.

Left fielder Kimi Pohlman gave Washington an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out RBI single – not that Lawrie needed it.

The junior pitcher blanked the Bulldogs in the final two innings, inducing a game-ending double play as her teammates met her in celebration at the mound.

The loss was the first of the postseason for Georgia, who now advances into the loser’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament to play the loser of the Arizona St. / Missouri game.