2018 Husky Softball Preview: Battery
January 16, 2018 | Softball
SEATTLE - With just a few weeks before opening day, the Huskies are prepped and raring to go, with a bundle of talent in the battery. The Huskies return three of four pitchers from last year as well as both catchers from 2017. Washington has two newcomers to the battery as well, welcoming a new pitcher and new catcher to the mix.
Back are two All-Region performers from last year in Taran Alvelo and Morganne Flores. Alvelo led the Pac-12 in innings pitched (254.0), wins (35), and appearances (47) in 2017 en route to becoming the first Husky to win 35+ games since 2010 and just the third Husky ever to reach that mark. Alvelo was also the first Husky to reach 200 strikeouts since Bryana Walker's 205 in 2013. Against Montana in the NCAA Regionals, Alvelo had her first career no-hitter and 35th in school history. The sophomore struck out eight in that game and allowed just two baserunners, on a walk and hit by pitch. In February, Alvelo earned Pac-12, NFCA, and ESPNW Player of the Week awards as she began the season 3-0 with a 0.91 ERA and 16 strikeouts, including a career-best 13 against #2 Auburn. That game was one of Alvelo's five wins against top-five teams, including a shutout performance against #1 Oklahoma. Alvelo's body of work also helped her make the Pac-12 First Team as well as the NFCA All-Region team.
Flores will return for her junior season as an asset behind the plate and at the dish. Flores hit .344 last year with a Pac-12 best 74 RBI, the most by a Husky since Jaime Clark drove in 75 in 2002. Only five other times in Husky history has a player driven in at least 70 runs in a season, with Flores' 74 sitting as the third-most in Washington history. Flores twice had multi-homer games and knocked 13 out of the park in total. Behind the plate, Flores had just two errors and three passed balls while catching 11 of 17 runners stealing, leading the team in fielding percentage at .994. She earned NFCA All-Region honors for her performance on the field and Pac-12 All-Academic honors for her work in the classroom.
Samantha Manti is back for her second season with the Huskies after throwing 69.2 innings in 2017. Manti peaked with an impressive run at the end of non-conference play, throwing 18.0 scoreless innings in a row, including a 7.0-inning, 9-strikeout performance in her Pac-12 debut against Arizona State. That was one of her 11 scoreless appearances on the mound as a freshman as well as a part of Manti's five-game winning streak. She also shutout UAB over six innings later that season, striking out four while allowing only two hits. Overall, Manti went 8-2 with 56 strikeouts as a freshman.
Kristin Cochran is Washington's final returning pitcher as the senior is back to solidify the staff. Cochran made five appearances last year, allowing no earned runs in three of those appearances and only once allowing multiple runs. She struck out two of the three batters she faced in her season debut against Long Beach State and managed three strikeouts in 2.0 innings against Penn State later in the year.
Rounding out the Husky pitching staff is newcomer Gabbie Plain. An Australian, Plain was a part of her home country's U19 Women's Team and allowed just two hits and no earned runs at the 2015 WBSC Junior Women's World Championship. She also won a U17 championship while at Softball Macarthur, the first-ever championship for Macarthur.
Rachel Ogasawara will serve as another of Washington's backstops after setting career-highs as a sophomore in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and RBI last season. In her 20 games in 2017, Ogasawara proved to be a dangerous defensive weapon, as only two baserunners attempted stolen bases against her all season. She hit her first career home run on March 3, going yard against Indiana in a 13-1 victory.
Freshman Emma Helm is Washington's third catcher this year. Helm comes to Washington after three straight years of All-WESCO First Team awards, as well as a Herald Player of the Year award and Seattle Times Star Times Catcher honor in 2016. A Lynnwood, Washington native, Helm won a state championship while in high school.
Washington's 2018 season kicks on February 8 on the road. The Huskies will start in Peoria, Illinois for a five-game tournament, beginning with a matchup with Saint Louis.
Make sure to follow Husky softball on Twitter with the username @UWSoftball and on Instagram at uwsoftball.
Back are two All-Region performers from last year in Taran Alvelo and Morganne Flores. Alvelo led the Pac-12 in innings pitched (254.0), wins (35), and appearances (47) in 2017 en route to becoming the first Husky to win 35+ games since 2010 and just the third Husky ever to reach that mark. Alvelo was also the first Husky to reach 200 strikeouts since Bryana Walker's 205 in 2013. Against Montana in the NCAA Regionals, Alvelo had her first career no-hitter and 35th in school history. The sophomore struck out eight in that game and allowed just two baserunners, on a walk and hit by pitch. In February, Alvelo earned Pac-12, NFCA, and ESPNW Player of the Week awards as she began the season 3-0 with a 0.91 ERA and 16 strikeouts, including a career-best 13 against #2 Auburn. That game was one of Alvelo's five wins against top-five teams, including a shutout performance against #1 Oklahoma. Alvelo's body of work also helped her make the Pac-12 First Team as well as the NFCA All-Region team.
Flores will return for her junior season as an asset behind the plate and at the dish. Flores hit .344 last year with a Pac-12 best 74 RBI, the most by a Husky since Jaime Clark drove in 75 in 2002. Only five other times in Husky history has a player driven in at least 70 runs in a season, with Flores' 74 sitting as the third-most in Washington history. Flores twice had multi-homer games and knocked 13 out of the park in total. Behind the plate, Flores had just two errors and three passed balls while catching 11 of 17 runners stealing, leading the team in fielding percentage at .994. She earned NFCA All-Region honors for her performance on the field and Pac-12 All-Academic honors for her work in the classroom.
Samantha Manti is back for her second season with the Huskies after throwing 69.2 innings in 2017. Manti peaked with an impressive run at the end of non-conference play, throwing 18.0 scoreless innings in a row, including a 7.0-inning, 9-strikeout performance in her Pac-12 debut against Arizona State. That was one of her 11 scoreless appearances on the mound as a freshman as well as a part of Manti's five-game winning streak. She also shutout UAB over six innings later that season, striking out four while allowing only two hits. Overall, Manti went 8-2 with 56 strikeouts as a freshman.
Kristin Cochran is Washington's final returning pitcher as the senior is back to solidify the staff. Cochran made five appearances last year, allowing no earned runs in three of those appearances and only once allowing multiple runs. She struck out two of the three batters she faced in her season debut against Long Beach State and managed three strikeouts in 2.0 innings against Penn State later in the year.
Rounding out the Husky pitching staff is newcomer Gabbie Plain. An Australian, Plain was a part of her home country's U19 Women's Team and allowed just two hits and no earned runs at the 2015 WBSC Junior Women's World Championship. She also won a U17 championship while at Softball Macarthur, the first-ever championship for Macarthur.
Rachel Ogasawara will serve as another of Washington's backstops after setting career-highs as a sophomore in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and RBI last season. In her 20 games in 2017, Ogasawara proved to be a dangerous defensive weapon, as only two baserunners attempted stolen bases against her all season. She hit her first career home run on March 3, going yard against Indiana in a 13-1 victory.
Freshman Emma Helm is Washington's third catcher this year. Helm comes to Washington after three straight years of All-WESCO First Team awards, as well as a Herald Player of the Year award and Seattle Times Star Times Catcher honor in 2016. A Lynnwood, Washington native, Helm won a state championship while in high school.
Washington's 2018 season kicks on February 8 on the road. The Huskies will start in Peoria, Illinois for a five-game tournament, beginning with a matchup with Saint Louis.
Make sure to follow Husky softball on Twitter with the username @UWSoftball and on Instagram at uwsoftball.
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