Perfect game? Whatever. High school softball pitcher throws them in back-to-back starts
Alli Kimball couldn’t believe it when she threw a perfect game last Friday against Central Kitsap. Imagine the Peninsula High School junior’s surprise when she did it again Tuesday.
That’s right — Kimball followed up one of the most rare feats in baseball or softball by doing it again, throwing her second straight perfect game. Both came against Central Kitsap.
“Honestly, it’s pure excitement right now,” Kimball said.
Peninsula coach Mike Paul isn’t afraid to set lofty expectations for his junior ace. Before Friday’s game, he told Kimball that she was going to throw a perfect game.
“She controls the zone very well,” Paul said. “She’s fearless. She’s never going to not challenge any hitter. She doesn’t work around them. She knows on 0-2, she’s not going to feed you anything to hit. Once you have two strikes, she owns you. Her control is exceptional. I ask her to throw down and in, she hits the bottom corner of the strike zone. It’s super challenging to get her to miss a pitch.”
Paul didn’t proclaim Kimball was going to throw another perfect game in her next start Tuesday. He did offer one piece of advice though: Pitch like you did on Friday. Kimball took the advice to heart, retiring every Central Kitsap batter who came to the plate, including striking out the final five hitters of the game.
“It was really exciting,” Kimball said. “The last girl, she battled. My parents video’d it. I was so stressed. After that last strikeout, everyone was ecstatic. They handed me the game ball.”
Kimball credited her defense, pointing to a play by second baseman Malia Coit in the third inning of Tuesday’s game and infielder Payton Davis in the first game. She also said the rapport she’s sharing with freshman catcher Ava Miranda — who caught both perfect games — has been significant.
“Definitely just getting into a good rhythm,” Kimball said. “(Miranda) receives my pitches so well, keeps me in rhythm. Being able to trust her on every pitch and trusting my defense.”
Peninsula is 13-1 this season and undefeated in the 3A SSC, its lone loss coming to Class 4A Sumner.
“(We’re playing with) a lot of confidence,” Kimball said. “We come into every game with a little chip on our shoulder because of how good we’ve been doing. We play with a purpose.”
With Kimball leading the way, Peninsula has a real chance to make some noise in the playoffs. Good luck to opposing hitters against that nasty arsenal, which includes a curveball, splitter and riseball.
“I’ve caught (for) her a bunch,” said Paul, her coach. “I’ve never a seen a ball move like this. It’s frightening to catch her.”
Frightening too to step into the batter’s box, it seems. Peninsula will face crosstown rival Gig Harbor next on Thursday.
This story was originally published May 3, 2022 at 7:42 PM.
