Washington Opens WCWS Against Utah
OKLAHOMA CITY – For the 15th time in program history the Huskies are in Oklahoma City for the College World Series. Washington opens its National Championship run on Thursday night against Pac-12 foe Utah at 6:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. CT at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium and airing on ESPN.
The Huskies are on the right side of the bracket and will compete against No. 3 Florida State, No. 6 Oklahoma State and No. 15 Utah in a double elimination format. The winners of the double elimination bracket will meet in a best-of-three championship series that begins on Wednesday.
Stay up to date on all tournament information by visiting the Tournament Central page.
30TH ANNIVERSARY OF WASHINGTON SOFTBALL
2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Washington softball. The Huskies first year as a program was in 1993. Head coach Heather Tarr has been a part of 24 of 30 seasons in the Purple and Gold as a player, manager and coach.
POSTSEASON AWARDS
Baylee Klingler – First Team All-Pac-12, NFCA First Team All-Pacific Region
Ruby Meylan – First Team All-Pac-12, Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, Pac-12 All-Tournament Team, NFCA First Team All-Pacific Region
Madison Huskey – Second Team All-Pac-12, NFCA Second Team All-Pacific Region
Sami Reynolds – Second Team All-Pac-12, NFCA First Team All-Pacific Region
SilentRain Espinoza – Third Team All-Pac-12
Rylee Holtorf – All-Pac-12 Defensive Team, Pac-12 All-Tournament Team, NFCA Second Team All-Pacific Region
Kelley Lynch – NFCA Third Team All-Pacific Region
Brooklyn Carter – Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
POSTSEASON DAWGS
The Huskies have appeared in 29 straight regionals dating back to 1994 - the second year of Washington softball. Washington has the fourth-most NCAA Tournament wins all-time (133) and fourth-most WCWS appearances (15). UW has been a national seed and hosted a regional in each NCAA Tournament since 2016. All-time UW has 15 Super Regional berths and 15 WCWS appearances to go with one National Championship (2009). This season marked the first time since 2019 the Huskies have hosted a Super Regional. Hosting a Super Regional for the fifth time since the format began in 2005, UW has won them all and advanced to the WCWS each time (2023, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2010). Among the eight teams remaining, UW has the second-most appearances just behind Oklahoma.
TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE
A trip to the Oklahoma City this season means that under head coach Heather Tarr any Husky who has competed four years has made a trip to the Women's College World Series at least once.
NOT ACTING LIKE FRESHMAN
The four freshmen have contributed a lot to the Husky program in 2023. Alana Johnson is fifth on the team with 22 RBI and fourth with seven home runs. Ruby Meylan is nationally ranked in shutouts (8), strikeouts (197) and saves (7). Brooklyn Carter is a force on the base paths, leading the team and second in the conference with 27 stolen bases. Sydney Stewart has split time at catcher with a .268 average and 10 RBI. Both Meylan and Johnson received Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors this season and Meylan was named to the All-Freshman team as well as First Team All-Pac-12.
HUSKIES VS. THE FIELD
Out of the eight remaining teams, UW has faced three programs so far this season in Oklahoma, Stanford and Utah. Between the teams, the Huskies hold a 4-4 record.
FUTURE PRODAWG
Last month, Baylee Klingler was selected as the second overall pick in the Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) 2023 Draft by the Texas Smoke. Based out of Austin, the Texas Smoke are led by head coach Tori Tyson in the team's inaugural season. Klingler was also one of 14 current student-athletes drafted by Athletes Unlimited (AU) this past Monday. She will have the opportunity to sign with an organization once her eligibility at UW is completed following the 2023 season.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Fifth-year infielder Baylee Klingler has started in every single game in her career throughout her time at Texas A&M and Washington. She has started in 249 games which is 12th most among active D1 softball student-athletes.
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Washington has compiled one of the toughest schedules in the nation this season. Against the Top 25, the Huskies have posted an 11-7 record with wins over Duke, UCLA, Stanford, Oregon and Utah. Entering the Pac-12 Tournament, Washington is ranked 10th in the RPI.
NO-NO X 2
On Feb. 23 Kelley Lynch threw her first career no-hitter, doing so against Bethune-Cookman at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Lynch allowed only one runner to reach base on a hit-by-pitch in the first inning. She struck out 13. Lynch and Ruby Meylan combined for the second no-hitter this season, doing so in game one at Oregon State on April 14. The Huskies have thrown 49 no-hitters in program history.
RECORD WATCH
Baylee Klingler is one grand slam away from setting the program record in career grand slams. The fifth-year senior has five so far - four of which came last season and one this year against Hofstra. Ruby Meylan tied the program record for saves in a single season with seven last weekend after earning the save in the second game of the Super Regional. She tied it with Tia Bollinger who also had seven in 2002. She needs one more to have the feat on her own.
For more information on the UW softball team, follow @UWSoftball on Twitter and Instagram.