Gabbie Plain Quiets Oregon Offense, Washington Advances At The WCWS
Gabbie Plain Quiets Oregon Offense, Washington Advances At The WCWS
Washington and Oregon meet at the WCWS and the Ducks were no match for the Huskies offense.
Washington is one win away from advancing to the finals of the Women's College World Series after beating top seed Oregon 6-2 on Friday in Oklahoma City.
Just a day earlier, the fifth-seeded Huskies shut out defending champion Oklahoma 2-0 with freshman Gabbie Plain on the mound, snapping the Sooners' 16-game winning streak in the process. Washington and Plain then turned their attention to a Ducks team that had swept the Huskies in the regular season.
Plain responded to the challenge by tossing another gem, this time allowing four hits and one run in six innings. It was goose eggs for both teams until the bottom of the fifth, when UW exploded for four runs.
Washington designated player Noelle Hee led off with a line-drive single to center field for a single. Kaija Gibson went in for Hee to pinch run. A tricky ball was hit to Jenna Lilley at third and she made an errant throw to second base, allowing Gibson to advance to third.
The Dawgs were barkin' today.
— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) June 2, 2018
Full highlights from UW's 6-2 win over Oregon to advance to the WCWS semifinals.#MightyAreTheWomen pic.twitter.com/mYNqpjD1zU
With bases loaded with one out, The Huskies' Kelly Burdick grounded a ball to shortstop DJ Sanders, who made the throw home. Gibson ran home and was clotheslined at the plate by Oregon catcher Gwen Svekis’ on a ball that was sailed up the line. Gibson was called safe.
Taylor Van Zee laced a ball past Mia Camuso at first base to score two runs. The second run scored on account of obstruction by the catcher Svekis.
You make the call. Obstruction or no call?
HUSKIES ON THE BOARD!! @UWSoftball leads Oregon 3-0! #WCWS pic.twitter.com/XGSgpQ7IxU
— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) June 2, 2018
Washington continued the onslaught with a Sis Bates bloop double to add another run on the board, stretching the lead to 4-0. Miranda Elish comes in for relief for Megan Kleist.
The Huskies added insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, tacking on two more runs to extend their lead to 6-0.
The Ducks threatened to come back by adding two runs in the top of the seventh, but that rally ended when DJ Sanders was called out after colliding with Bates, who was fielding a ground ball.
Washington advances to the semifinals on Sunday, where it will need just one win to advance to the championship series. Oregon next plays in an elimination game Saturday night against the winner of Florida State and Georgia.