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SEATTLE — No. 8 Washington is headed for a top-10 matchup at No. 3 UCLA for a three-game streak beginning Friday at Easton Stadium. The Huskies go into the weekend 21-4 overall and 2-1 in Pac-12 action.
WEEKEND PLAN
Friday March 17th
against No. 3 UCLA
Easton Stadium | Los Angles, California
5 p.m. | Pac-12 network
Saturday March 18th
against No. 3 UCLA
Easton Stadium | Los Angles, California
2 p.m. | Pac-12 Washington/Los Angeles
Sunday March 19th
against No. 3 UCLA
Easton Stadium | Los Angles, California
12 p.m. | Pac-12 Washington/Los Angeles
30 SEASONS OF WASHINGTON SOFTBALL
2023 marks Washington Softball’s 30th season. The Huskies’ first year as a program was 1993. Head Coach Heather Tarr was a player, manager and coach in 24 of 30 seasons in Purple and Gold.
THE LAST TIME-OUT
Washington opened the Pac-12 game with a series win over then-No. 19 Oregon at Husky Softball Stadium. The Ducks won the opening game 8-6, but the Huskies fought back, winning the last two 13-8 and 9-7. The Huskies also hosted a non-conference matchup against UNLV on Tuesday, a game in which the Dawgs won 7-1.
LEADER(S) OF THE PAC
Reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year Baylee Klinger leads the conference with 38 hits and ranks fourth with an average of .452. She also ranks second in doubles (8) and ninth in home runs (6). Madison Husky ranks third in the Pac-12 with eight home runs and fourth with 28 RBI. Ruby Meilan is a conference leader with six shutouts. Meylan also ranks in the top 5 in the Pac-12 for ERA (1.12), saves (3), strikeouts (110), and wins (9).
DO NOT ACT LIKE NEUSTUBE
The four freshmen have contributed a lot to the Husky program in 2023 so far. Alan Johnson is fourth on the team with 15 RBI and third with five home runs. Ruby Meilan is a national top 10 for shutouts (6) and strikeouts (110). Brooklyn Carter is a force on the base trails, leading the team and second in the conference with 14 stolen bases. Sydney Stewart has an interim at the catcher with a .423 average and four RBI.
PAC-12 PRE-SEASON SURVEY
The Huskies were ranked third in the Pac-12 preseason poll, which was voted on by the league’s nine head coaches. UW was one of two teams to receive a first place vote. Four Huskies were also names for the Pac-12 Preseason Team: Madison Husky, Baylee Klinger, Lindsay Lopez And Sami Reynolds. Washington had the second-most picks on the team, just behind UCLA with five.
Scout out the BRUINS
UCLA comes into the series as the nation’s No. 3 team after posting a record of 25-2, 2-1 Pac-12s. Maya Brady leads the team with a .481 average, eight home runs and 32 RBI finishes in the top 15 nationally in all of those categories. The Bruins’ team 1.70 ERA is 17th nationally and second in the Pac-12. Brooke Yanez (9-0, .99) and Megan Faraimo (11-1, 1.63) lead the pitching team and account for 72% of the pitching innings.
UCLA leads the perennial streak 68-33. In Los Angeles, the Bruins have a 28-13 advantage and are 58-27 overall in conference play. Most recently, Washington won a series (2-1) against UCLA in LA in 2016.
NEXT
The Huskies return home to face Arizona for a three-game series beginning Friday, March 24 at Husky Softball Stadium.
For more information about the UW softball team, follow @UWSoftball on Twitter and Instagram.
