SB: 2019 BATTERY

Previewing Washington's talent in the circle and behind the plate // 2.1.19

By Washington Huskies

February 1^st, 2019

A formidable duo in the circle sees even more reinforcements this year, as All-Americans Taran Alvelo and Gabbie Plain welcome Big East Pitcher of the Year Pat Moore and 2017 Seattle Times Player to Watch Mac Schulz to the staff. That group will try to improve on a year that saw Washington finish second in the nation in ERA at 1.18 and fifth in strikeouts with 470.

The Husky pitching staff will be helped along by some powerful bats behind the dish, with Emma Helm and Rachel Ogasawara welcoming back 2017 Pac-12 RBI leader Morganne Flores after the junior missed 2018 with injury. Flores will also play first base for the Huskies this season. Morgan Allen will also provide sure hands defensively and patience at the plate as she splits time between catcher and the infield.

TARAN ALVELO

2018 Stats: 1.30 ERA, 23-5, 242 K, .157 Opp. BA

With a All-Pac-12 First Team honor already under her belt, 2018 saw Alvelo improve even more, finishing fourth in the Pac-12 in ERA and fifth in strikeouts. Alvelo was undefeated over her first 16 appearances and started the year on a 31.1-inning scoreless streak.

Alvelo was showered with accolades, earning NFCA All-Region First Team, All-Pac-12 First Team, and being named a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year finalist, in addition to her All-American award.

With 76 wins in her career, Alvelo has a chance to become just the third Husky in program history to win 100 games. She could very well finish her playing career second in UW history in strikeouts as well after recording back-to-back years with over 200 and has been named to the Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List.

MORGAN ALLEN

2018 Stats: .333 OBP, 3 runs, 1.000 fld%

Allen acclimated to collegiate softball well as a freshman, scoring a run in her first game and reaching base via walk in her next appearance. Allen would score three times in her seven games, including plating two runs in Pac-12 play. She also recorded a perfect fielding percentage with two putouts in her two attempts. Allen will serve as a part of Washington's infielders in addition to her work behind the plate.

MORGANNE FLORES

2017 Stats: .344/.427/.645, 15 doubles, 13 home runs, 74 RBI

Flores returns to action this year after missing 2018 with injury. A redshirt junior, Flores has two NFCA All-Region awards under her belt and, in 2017, led the Pac-12 in RBI with 74, the third-most in UW history. That mark was helped along by two multi-homer games and a seven-RBI performance against Utah in the Regionals. She ended the season with 29 extra-base hits in all, including 13 homers, to help her along to a .645 slugging percentage. Flores also ran a .427 OBP thanks in part to 28 walks.

This year, Flores has already been named to USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List. In addition to working at catcher, Flores will play first base for the Huskies.

EMMA HELM

2018 Stats: .365 OBP, 28 walks, 15 runs

Helm did the bulk of the catching work for Washington as a freshman last year, socking nine extra-base hits and drawing 28 walks, the most among returning Huskies, on the year. The lefty carried a .365 OBP and had a streak of three straight games with multiple RBI. Defensively, she made just three errors in her 54 games behind the plate. Against Stanford, Helm drove in multiple runs in all three games of that series and would end the season with six multi-RBI games.

PAT MOORE

2018 Stats (at DePaul): 2.11 ERA, 12-6, 158 K, 3 saves

After winning Big East Pitcher of the Year honors as a freshman, DePaul transfer Pat Moore joins the Huskies for her sophomore year. Moore led the Big East in ERA last year and was second in strikeouts, leading DePaul to a conference championship. Opponents hit only .204 against Moore her freshman year. She would earn NFCA All-Region honors in addition to her conference awards.

RACHEL OGASAWARA

2018 Stats: 3 doubles, 6 runs, .993 fld%

Once again providing heady leadership, Ogasawara earned 17 starts in 2018 as well. She had a two-double game in Las Vegas to show off her bat. Behind the plate, the Hawaiian made only one error all year, good for a .993 fielding percentage that was tops on the team (min. 15 chances). Ogasawara also picked up her first career steal in 2018, stealing home in the first game of the year.

GABBIE PLAIN

2018 Stats: 1.01 ERA, 22-5, 181 K, .165 Opp. BA

Plain’s first season of college softball couldn’t have gone much better, with the freshman leading the Pac-12 in ERA and falling just one earned run short of an ERA under 1.00, a mark only three pitchers in the nation reached. In April, she became the second Husky freshman ever to throw a perfect game, retiring every batter she faced against Utah.

Plain carried a 28.1-inning scoreless streak at one point in the year. She was named an NFCA Freshman of the Year finalist in addition to NFCA All-Region, All-Pac-12 First Team, and Pac-12 All-Freshman. This year, she has been named to the Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List.

MAC SCHULZ

After a third-place finish at the state championships with Monroe, Schulz joins the Huskies in the circle. She has been recognized by USA Today’s Performers of the Week after striking out 29 batters over two games and shone at the PGF Surf Camp.