Friday, March 2
Seattle, WA
3:45 PM
University of Washington
vs
Alabama
Washington Opens Home Schedule With Husky Classic
February 28, 2018 | Softball
SEATTLE - Now ranked #1 in the nation by both polls, the Washington Huskies return to Seattle for their first home games this weekend at the annual Husky Classic. Washington will put its 18-0 record on the line with games against BYU, Northwestern, and Portland State, as well as two games against #11 Alabama. Tickets for the Husky Classic, which begins Friday, March 2, are available online.
Washington enters this weekend having dominated the competition thus far, rushing out to a 18-0 record that is just two wins away from the best start in school history. The Huskies have the second-highest scoring offense in the nation, averaging 8.83 runs per game, while also putting together a team ERA that ranks third in the nation at 0.65. Led by Taran Alvelo's 84 strikeouts, the Huskies have seven games with double-digit strikeouts already, surpassing the total put up over the last three years combined. Washington is also one of just eight teams in the nation with 20+ home runs: its 32 lead the country.
Last week, the Huskies won all eight of their games, including sweeping the Mary Nutter Classic. Kirstyn Thomas was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks after raising her batting average to .579 on the season. The Huskies have now had the Pac-12 Player of the Week every week this season as Taylor Van Zee took home that honor last week; Taran Alvelo also has a Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week award to her name.
After defeating #6 Texas A&M at the Mary Nutter Classic, the Huskies will play the host to another top team this week, playing #11 Alabama twice. Last season, Washington played Alabama twice in Tuscaloosa, Alabama: the Huskies won both those games, 3-2 and 3-0. Washington also traveled to Tuscaloosa in 2015 for the NCAA Regionals and in 2016 for the NCAA Super Regionals. The first game against Alabama, on Friday, March 2 at 3:45 pm, will be the first of the tournament for Washington.
Washington faced off with Northwestern last season, winning 6-3 at the Mary Nutter Classic. This will be the first time the two teams have faced off at either's home stadium: Washington holds the all-time series edge 9-3, with all of those games played at neutral sites.
BYU will make its first trip to Husky Softball Stadium since the 2014 NCAA Regionals, where Washington defeated the Cougars 9-0. BYU opened this season ranked in the top 25 but sits at 6-9 right now. The Cougars have won their last two games entering the Husky Classic and will play Portland State, Alabama, and Northwestern before facing the Huskies.
This is the first of two straight weekends that the Huskies and the Portland State Vikings will face off, as Portland State will also travel to Las Vegas for the Rebel Classic next week. Portland State and Washington last played in 2015, when the Huskies triumphed 9-0 in six innings in Portland.
Make sure to follow Husky softball on Twitter with the username @UWSoftball and on Instagram at uwsoftball.
Washington enters this weekend having dominated the competition thus far, rushing out to a 18-0 record that is just two wins away from the best start in school history. The Huskies have the second-highest scoring offense in the nation, averaging 8.83 runs per game, while also putting together a team ERA that ranks third in the nation at 0.65. Led by Taran Alvelo's 84 strikeouts, the Huskies have seven games with double-digit strikeouts already, surpassing the total put up over the last three years combined. Washington is also one of just eight teams in the nation with 20+ home runs: its 32 lead the country.
Last week, the Huskies won all eight of their games, including sweeping the Mary Nutter Classic. Kirstyn Thomas was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks after raising her batting average to .579 on the season. The Huskies have now had the Pac-12 Player of the Week every week this season as Taylor Van Zee took home that honor last week; Taran Alvelo also has a Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week award to her name.
After defeating #6 Texas A&M at the Mary Nutter Classic, the Huskies will play the host to another top team this week, playing #11 Alabama twice. Last season, Washington played Alabama twice in Tuscaloosa, Alabama: the Huskies won both those games, 3-2 and 3-0. Washington also traveled to Tuscaloosa in 2015 for the NCAA Regionals and in 2016 for the NCAA Super Regionals. The first game against Alabama, on Friday, March 2 at 3:45 pm, will be the first of the tournament for Washington.
Washington faced off with Northwestern last season, winning 6-3 at the Mary Nutter Classic. This will be the first time the two teams have faced off at either's home stadium: Washington holds the all-time series edge 9-3, with all of those games played at neutral sites.
BYU will make its first trip to Husky Softball Stadium since the 2014 NCAA Regionals, where Washington defeated the Cougars 9-0. BYU opened this season ranked in the top 25 but sits at 6-9 right now. The Cougars have won their last two games entering the Husky Classic and will play Portland State, Alabama, and Northwestern before facing the Huskies.
This is the first of two straight weekends that the Huskies and the Portland State Vikings will face off, as Portland State will also travel to Las Vegas for the Rebel Classic next week. Portland State and Washington last played in 2015, when the Huskies triumphed 9-0 in six innings in Portland.
Make sure to follow Husky softball on Twitter with the username @UWSoftball and on Instagram at uwsoftball.
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