Friday, February 16
Huntsville, TX
10:15 AM
University of Washington
6-0
8
vs
0
Northern Colorado
3-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
H
E
Northern Colorado
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
Washington
3
0
2
2
0
1
8
12
1
Photo by: Red Box Pictures
Two Thomas Homers Help Huskies To 8-0 Win
February 16, 2018 | Softball
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The hot start continued for the Huskies Friday with a 8-0 win over Northern Colorado. Washington picked up its fifth consecutive shutout thanks to eight strikeouts from Gabbie Plain. Kirstyn Thomas hit two more home runs to add to her nation-leading home run and RBI totals, while Sis Bates and Taylor Van Zee each went 3-for-4 with a combined five runs between them.
Plain started the game with nine straight batters retired, extending her streak of consecutive batters retired to 22 after setting down the last 13 batters in her first start. The Australian would end her 5.0-shutout innings with a career-high eight strikeouts while allowing only two hits. Plain struck out four straight at one point as well.
The Huskies got on the scoreboard quick with a three-run first, making it five times in six games that Washington has scored in the first frame. Van Zee and Bates found themselves in scoring position quickly after a Van Zee single and a Bates double off the second-base bag into the outfield. Thomas cleared the bases with a monster home run to left on a 1-0 pitch to make it 3-0.
Thomas added another home run in the third inning, her second multi-homer game of the season already, to make it 4-0. Thomas now has seven homers on the season to go along with 20 RBI.
With the bases loaded just three batters later thanks to a Julia DePonte double and walks by Noelle Hee and Taryn Atlee, the Huskies scored again for a 5-0 lead. A back-pick sailed into centerfield, allowing DePonte to waltz home.
Bates hit her third home run of the season in the fourth to put two more runs on the board. Van Zee doubled to the rightfield foul pole to start the rally. Bates then sent a flyball to right with plenty of distance that curved just foul. Two pitches later, Bates got a hold of another one and kept it fair for a 7-0 lead.
Bates and Van Zee would combine for the game's final run in the sixth. Bates laid down a bunt single, with the throw to first sailing deep into the outfield. Van Zee, who had singled earlier, scored all the way from first to end the game.
Notes
Make sure to follow Husky softball on Twitter with the username @UWSoftball and on Instagram at uwsoftball.
Plain started the game with nine straight batters retired, extending her streak of consecutive batters retired to 22 after setting down the last 13 batters in her first start. The Australian would end her 5.0-shutout innings with a career-high eight strikeouts while allowing only two hits. Plain struck out four straight at one point as well.
The Huskies got on the scoreboard quick with a three-run first, making it five times in six games that Washington has scored in the first frame. Van Zee and Bates found themselves in scoring position quickly after a Van Zee single and a Bates double off the second-base bag into the outfield. Thomas cleared the bases with a monster home run to left on a 1-0 pitch to make it 3-0.
Thomas added another home run in the third inning, her second multi-homer game of the season already, to make it 4-0. Thomas now has seven homers on the season to go along with 20 RBI.
With the bases loaded just three batters later thanks to a Julia DePonte double and walks by Noelle Hee and Taryn Atlee, the Huskies scored again for a 5-0 lead. A back-pick sailed into centerfield, allowing DePonte to waltz home.
Bates hit her third home run of the season in the fourth to put two more runs on the board. Van Zee doubled to the rightfield foul pole to start the rally. Bates then sent a flyball to right with plenty of distance that curved just foul. Two pitches later, Bates got a hold of another one and kept it fair for a 7-0 lead.
Bates and Van Zee would combine for the game's final run in the sixth. Bates laid down a bunt single, with the throw to first sailing deep into the outfield. Van Zee, who had singled earlier, scored all the way from first to end the game.
Notes
- The Huskies now have a five-game shutout streak, the longest since a six-game streak April 19-23, 1995.
- Thomas (3x3, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI) has at least one home run in five straight games, the first time a Husky has accomplished that since Ali Aguilar hit seven in five games March 19-23, 2016.
- Thomas now has two multi-home run games this season. Only one Husky, Morganne Flores, had more than one game with multiple home runs in 2017.
- Thomas became the first player with 20+ RBI in the nation with her 4-RBI day. Thomas drove in 31 RBI in 63 games last year.
- Plain's (5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K) eight strikeouts were the most by a freshman in 5.0 or fewer innings since Taran Alvelo whiffed seven in 5.0 innings against Oregon on March 19, 2016.
- Bates (3x4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI) had two extra-base hits, her third career game with multiple extra-base hits and first since doubling twice on March 9, 2017 against Penn State.
Make sure to follow Husky softball on Twitter with the username @UWSoftball and on Instagram at uwsoftball.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Plain, Gabbie (2-0)
L: PAIGE, L (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Van Zee, Taylor 1 ; Bates, Sis 1 ; DePonte, Julia 1
HR: Bates, Sis 1 ; Thomas, Kirstyn 2
RBI: Bates, Sis 2 ; Thomas, Kirstyn 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Van Zee, Taylor 3 ; Bates, Sis 2 ; Thomas, Kirstyn 2 ; DePonte, Julia 1
SB: Melhart, Trysten 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
4
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballUTL
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF
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