Clear skies. Low 62F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Clear skies. Low 62F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.

Baylee Klingler bats during Washington's game versus Oregon State on April 15 at Husky Softball Stadium. Klingler smacked her 22nd home run of the season against Utah on May 8 to lift UW to a victory.

Baylee Klingler bats during Washington's game versus Oregon State on April 15 at Husky Softball Stadium. Klingler smacked her 22nd home run of the season against Utah on May 8 to lift UW to a victory.

Hoping to change its fortunes after its first-ever series loss to Utah, head coach Heather Tarr switched up the No. 9 Washington softball team’s lineup in the final game of the series Saturday afternoon in Salt Lake City, looking to avoid a sweep.

From the get-go, the change worked.

UW’s top four hitters contributed to all five of the Huskies’ runs and fifth-year senior Gabbie Plain’s arm was enough to help salvage a game against the Utes with a 5-1 victory.

Senior Sami Reynolds, who has struggled recently, dropped down from her usual leadoff spot to third in the lineup, seniors Baylee Klingler and Madison Huskey slid up to first and second in the order, respectively, and junior Jadelyn Allchin batted cleanup.

Reynolds knocked in her first RBI in conference play since April 24 with a double in the first inning that scored Huskey to give UW an early 1-0 lead. It was Reynolds’ first extra base hit in conference play since April 22.

Plain (17-5) displayed improvement after taking the loss Friday. She tossed a complete game and allowed just one run, a solo home run in the second inning by Utah’s Halle Morris, which tied the game at 1-1.

The Huskies (34-13, 13-8 Pac-12) went quiet between the first and fifth innings, with the only hit in between being a double from sophomore Jenn Cummings.

Cummings again delivered in the fifth inning with her second hit of the day, turning the lineup over for Klingler.

With a 3-1 count in her favor, Klingler launched her 22nd home run of the season to straight away center field just over the 235-foot sign to put Washington in front at 3-1. Klingler is now three home runs away from tying the UW single-season record, which is held by Kristen Rivera.

Plain evaded a threat from the Utes (26-25, 8-13 Pac-12) in the bottom of the fifth. Utah’s top two hitters Aliya Belarde and Haley Denning reached base with back-to-back, one-out bunt singles, but Plain got a lineout and a flyout to end the inning.

In the sixth inning, Utah threatened again with runners on first and second and one out, but yet again Plain was able to end the threat without allowing a run.

The Huskies tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh inning behind more success from the top of the order.

Allchin smacked an RBI single to bring home Huskey and pinch-hitter junior Kelley Lynch brought home Allchin from first base with a pop fly that managed to drop for an error.

Fifth-year senior Pat Moore closed out the game and Washington escaped Utah with one victory under its belt.

Washington now has two series losses against the bottom two teams in the Pac-12 standings, meaning a top-eight seed in the postseason is likely out the window. The regular season closes out with a series against conference-leading Arizona State at home beginning Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m.

Reach Sports Editor Anthony Edwards at sports@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @edwardsanthonyb

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Anthony serves as Co-Sports Editor for The Daily and covers football and softball.

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