Washington ace Gabbie Plain to represent Australia in Tokyo
SEATTLE (BVM) — Softball is returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2008 and the 2021 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year will be making the trip to Tokyo this summer. Softball Australia announced its roster for the Games last week and, not surprisingly, Washington senior ace Gabbie Plain was included.聽
Plain, who hails from Harrington Park, Australia, has been a two-time first-team All-American pitcher while with the Huskies. This past spring, she went 32-4 with a 1.45 ERA and 337 strikeouts in 237.1 innings pitched for a Washington team that reached the NCAA Super Regionals before being eliminated by No. 1 Oklahoma in two games. Plain will return to Seattle for her final season (an additional year granted by the NCAA due to COVID-19) with UW after the Games.
Plain will be among four other former Washington softball players competing in Tokyo. Ali Aguilar will play for Team USA while Jenn Salling and Danielle Lawrie, who both competed in the 2008 Games, will play for the Canadian team with another former Husky, Victoria Hayward. Washington head coach Heather Tarr will also be an assistant coach for the U.S.
Softball group play begins July 21 with medals to be decided July 27. Australia, the U.S., Canada, Japan, Mexico and Italy will be the six teams vying for gold, silver and bronze.
