Jumping from No. 10 to No. 6 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball rankings, the Washington softball program finished an impressive 3-1 on the weekend, showcasing the potential that another postseason run is in the making for the Huskies. After going toe to toe with No. 1 Oklahoma, this squad has a very telling test this upcoming weekend to determine whether this team is built to make it to June.

It’s a similar start to last season, where Washington escaped opening weekend with a 4-1 record after a narrow one-point loss to Oklahoma. A year ago, the Huskies would come out of the following tournament 5-0 before losing a trap game to McNeese State on the Monday after (February 20th) for their second season loss.

This year, the Huskies have five matchups that include two ranked opponents before a trap game on Tuesday against Florida Gulf Coast which takes place on, you guessed it, February 20th.

Offensively, there have been a lot of welcome surprises.

Sophomore Brooklyn Carter has emerged as the leadoff batter for the Huskies and is as dangerous as they come. Posting a team-high .438 batting average, Carter’s greatest strength comes on the basepaths with four runs scored and six stolen bases in four games. Junior Rylee Holtorf has also continued her impressive stretch from the Women’s College World Series a year ago, batting .429 with a double, and two RBIs, and has drawn two walks.

The Huskies have looked towards the youth for power, and they’ve delivered. Freshman Jadyn Glab, who won Pac-12 Freshman of the Week, has a home run with six RBIs, while sophomore Alana Johnson has a home run with five RBIs.

The pitching staff has been very impressive and will be the X-factor for the Huskies throughout the season.

Sophomore Ruby Meylan has picked up right where she left off after her sensational freshman campaign, posting a .62 ERA with a .71 WHIP while accounting for almost half of the Huskies’ total innings. In 11.1 innings pitched, Meylan has 12 strikeouts while allowing five hits and three walks, with her only earned run coming against the best-ranked team in the nation.

Senior Lindsay Lopez is expected to take a lot of innings off the hands of Meylan and has been effective in doing so. In eight innings pitched, she has allowed three runs to go with five hits and four walks while striking out five. Lopez will have a very important role in the circle as the season goes on to ensure Meylan stays as healthy as possible.

Freshman Sidne Peters has looked excellent in the circle to start her career and will be a crucial element in the bullpen throughout the year. She has been unhittable so far, giving up zero hits in 4.2 innings pitched while striking out six. She has work to do on her control, as she has walked four batters and allowed an earned run in the process. Her .86 WHIP is very promising and something the Huskies will look forward to building on.

The unsung hero of this team is fifth-year Brooke Nelson. From leadership to hitting and pitching, Nelson does it all and is a pivotal part of this young Husky roster. Batting .417 with two walks while also providing stellar defense, Nelson is a do-it-all player who will help motivate this Washington squad down the stretch.

The Huskies will face No. 18 Kentucky on Friday at 6:30 am before facing Minnesota in a doubleheader directly after. They will then play Wisconsin on Saturday at 9:00 am before a matchup against No. 12 LSU at 2 pm, with former Husky Kelley Lynch facing her old team. The weekend will conclude with a Sunday matchup against North Carolina at 6:30 am.