#22 UW Softball Earns Sixth Straight Run Rule Victory With 11-3 Result Over Seattle U
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - Despite a chaotic first inning that saw Seattle University plate a pair of runs, the 22nd-ranked Washington Husky softball team cruised to victory in their home opener for the 2026 season. UW improves to 16-6 on the season with the victory, securing the win via run rule achieved by Alexis DeBoer’s RBI single with two outs in the sixth inning. The Redhawks of Seattle University looked keen for an upset early with that two-run first, but ultimately couldn’t contain the Husky lineup as a four-run third helped Washington pull ahead and never look back.
“Just for us today, to be able to play a very competitive opponent in Seattle U, was important for us to be able to get that game in before we start our formal conference season. That was why we wanted to play tonight. I thought the crowd was great, it was filled in a little bit late, but probably naturally so on a mid-week, so that was cool to have our gals be able to feel all those feels, and just get a little bit of that feeling underneath us, before we actually start on Friday.”
Under overcast skies, light rail, and unpredictable wind at Husky Softball Stadium, the Redhawks jumped on the home team early thanks to a leadoff single by Mikee Morris and a triple into right field by Taylor Fitch. Morris’ single was a blooper that seemed to hang a bit in the air in front of Washington shortstop Melody Acevedo, putting the leadoff runner aboard for Seattle. Husky pitcher Morgan Reimer struck out Avari Morris before the Redhawks would drive in the first run of the ballgame.
Taylor Fitch sliced a ball into the right field corner, driving in Morris and ending up at third for a triple with one out. In the next plate appearance, an Ava Sin pop-up into shallow center field got some carry from the wind and seemed to affect Husky centerfielder Sophi Mazzola, allowing Fitch to score from third. Reimer was able to keep the damage to those two runs, but Washington was trailing to begin this home opener.
“First home game, we have a lot of new faces. I think everyone was just overly excited to play and get out here. It’s been a long wait the whole day, so I think just settling down was what we needed, and it worked out in our favor.”
“It was a little bit disappointing, a couple errors, and whatever you want to call them, just gimmes, but Seattle U earned it, and they made good on it. They were making a ball game out of it, so we had to fight, come back, and for us to be able to respond pretty much every single time that they scored on us, that’s kind of what this team is all about, is staying tough and bringing your best when the best is needed.”
The UW lineup went down in order in the bottom of the first, before Reimer returned the favor to the Seattle lineup in the top of the second to ensure there would be no continued momentum for the Redhawks.
The Husky hitters found some success in the bottom half of that second frame, though most of the traffic came without swinging the bat. A pitch hit Ally Hetzel, Ava Caroll singled, and Melody Acevedo walked to load the bases for the nine-hole hitter in Kaycie Burdick. Burdick worked a five-pitch walk to bring Hetzel in and get Washington on the board.
“Those bases-loaded situations, sometimes it looks like it’s easy everybody’s like, ‘Oh, it’s so easy,’ but it’s a challenging situation if you make it, but Burdie [Kaycie Burdick] being in there and having a pretty mature at bat to be able to just pass it along to Jadyn and let those guys try to do the damage, she’s done that a couple times this weekend, she had a couple of those. A three-two walk, those are tough things to get sometimes, and she’s doing it. Melo [Melody Acevedo], too, had a great day today, getting on base for us, hitting that double in the middle of the game. We got her over and then scored. Those are small, little contributions that mean a lot. ”
Scenes during the early innings of the Washington Husky softball win over the Seattle University Redhawks on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, at Husky Softball Stadium. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
Reimer continued to roll in the circle for the Huskies, working a clean top of the third outside of a walk by Avari Morris. That quick work made of the Redhawks lineup helped Washington get their lineup back out after creating traffic in the second, and the momentum at the plate continued. Singles from Alexis DeBoer and Giselle Alvarez were complemented by a Hetzel walk to load the bags with no outs. Ava Carroll slipped a single into right field to keep the line moving, driving Jing Gardner (Pinch running for DeBoer) and Giselle Alvarez in to give Washington the lead.
The bags were packed once again after a Zuri Patterson (pinch-hitting for Sophi Mazzola) walk, and it was more small ball that would help the Huskies add to their lead, thanks to a Melody Acevedo bloop single just over Seattle shortstop (Mikee Morris), who had come in to try and protect against a potential bunt. A full count walk from Kaycie Burdick pushed in the fourth run of the inning for the Dawgs, who had found some slow and steady team offense to put them ahead of their cross-town rivals.
The Redhawks' lineup managed to strike back after the four-run inning from Washington, as a Brooklyn Jones double over the head of center fielder Sophi Mazzola drove in Abbie Fales, who had reached on a fielder’s choice. Jones advanced to third on a wild pitch, putting another run within striking distance for the road team, but Reimer struck out Sophia Kissling to hold the damage for the inning at just the lone run.
Scenes from the outfield during the Washington Husky softball win over the Seattle University Redhawks on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, at Husky Softball Stadium. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
The fourth inning featured two doubles that drove in runs, as a Jade Bubke drive to the base of the wall in straightaway center field scored Ava Caroll from first after she’d reached on a fielder’s choice to push the Husky lead to three.
Washington senior Sophia Ramuno entered the circle for the purple and gold when the fifth inning began, relieving starter Morgan Reimer after four strong innings of work. Outside of a single from Taylor Fitch, Ramuno held the Seattle lineup in check to keep this game rolling in favor of the Huskies.
Ramuno’s quick work was followed up by Washington’s lineup tacking on a few more runs, this time with some thump. Melody Acevedo led things off with a double to center field, before she was pushed to third on a Kaycie Burdick groundout and scored thanks to a Jadyn Glab sacrifice fly. With their lead now up to four, it was sophomore Alexis DeBoer who hammered a pitch high in the zone to left field for a solo shot that pushed the advantage for the home team up to five.
Washington Husky first baseman Alexis DeBoer touches homeplate after her solo home run during the team's 11-3 win over the Seattle University Redhawks on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, at Husky Softball Stadium. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
Ramuno again worked a clean top of the inning in the sixth, dealing around a two-out single from Brooklyn Jones, to turn things back over to the Washington lineup with the opportunity to end the game via run rule.
Ally Hetzel continued her strong game by leading the bottom of the frame off with a double to left field before the bases were loaded behind her, thanks to an Ava Carroll walk and Jade Bubke's hit by pitch. This time it was Melodcy Acevedo’s turn to work a walk with the bases loaded to drive in a run, before two batters later Jadyn Glab singled on a ball that confused Morris at short regarding where to throw. The game ended thanks to Alexis DeBoer’s single in the next plate appearance after Glab, giving the Huskies an eight-run lead and winning the game thanks to the run rule.
Celebration scenes after Alexis DeBoer’s single in the bottom of the sixth inning gave Washington Husky softball the run rule win over the Seattle University Redhawks on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, at Husky Softball Stadium. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
Quick notes from UW Softball
Tonight’s attendance at Husky Softball Stadium was 1,089.
Washington has now won six straight games, all of them in rule rule fashion.
The Huskies improve to 22-0 all-time against Seattle University with this win.
The UW trio of Giselle Alvarez, Alexis DeBoer, and Ava Carroll remain the three Huskies who have started all 17 games to start the season for Washington.
Washington infielder Jade Bubke took a ball off the helmet on a relay from the outfield and was hit in the helmet at the plate. Head coach Heather Tarr says she’s alright.
The rest of the game catalogue from the Washington Husky softball win over the Seattle University Redhawks on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, at Husky Softball Stadium. (Photos by Bryant Garduque for Circling Seattle Sports)
What’s next?
Following tonight’s home win over Seattle University, the Washington Husky softball team remains at home for their first Big Ten conference series of the year. After a few tournaments to begin the campaign and a handful of games down in California after that, Washington finally gets to play some games within the friendly confines of Husky Softball Stadium when the Northwestern Wildcats come to town this weekend. That three-game set begins on Friday, March 6th, with a 6 PM PST first pitch. All three of the games between the two programs that wear purple will be broadcast live on Big Ten Plus. 22nd-ranked Washington hosts a Northwestern team that has struggled out of the gate with an 8-11 record to this point, winless (0-5) on the road so far.
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