Plain Perfect in Softball Opener

Gabbie Plain sent 15 up, 15 down for the second time in her career as second-ranked Washington softball opened their 2021 season with a 8-0, 5-inning win over Southern Utah at the Rebel Kickoff in Las Vegas.

Plain struck out seven Thunderbirds in the win. The closest SUU (0-1) came to reaching base was a pop fly to shallow right-center in the third that second baseman Taryn Atlee flagged down over her shoulder.

Baylee Klingler and Sami Reynolds hit the first two home runs of the 2021 season for the Huskies on consecutive pitches in the top of the second. Sis Bates reached base all four times to the plate (three singles and a walk) and scored three runs.

The Huskies probably won’t be satisfied with the eight runs they scored as scored only one run in the final three innings and had three runners thrown out at the plate in the game. One of those took a great play by SUU, but the other two were very preventable:

• In the second, Morganne Flores was at second with one out when SilentRain Espinoza singled to center. HC Heather Tarr aggressively waved Flores home, but a good throw by the center fielder had the ball to the catcher so early that Flores never even bothered to slide and was tagged out.
• In the third, with Atlee at third, Bates at second, and nobody out, Reynolds grounded out to shortstop. Bates broke for third on the swing and by the time the out was recorded at first, she was stuck about halfway between second and third. Atlee tried to get the Huskies out of it by making a break for the plate but was narrowly tagged out.

Plain threw her first perfect game on April 7, 2018 in a 12-0 win over Utah in 5 innings. It also marks her fifth career no-hitter.

This is the second time in UW history that a Husky has pitched a perfect game in the season opener: Danielle Lawrie blanked Auburn 5-0 in the 2010 opener on Feb. 11, 2010, the first game the Huskies played as reigning national champions after winning it all in 2009.

Washington plays four more games at the Rebel Kickoff this weekend, all available through UNLVAthletics on Youtube.

• Fri, 12pm: vs Dixie State
• Sat, 10am: vs Southern Utah
• Sat, 3pm: at UNLV
• Sun, 9am: vs Dixie State