Tobin throws second perfect game to lead W.F. West past Tumwater

Box Score

At Recreation Park

BEARCATS 2, THUNDERBIRDS 0

Tumwater 000 000 0 - 0

W.F. West 000 200 X - 2

TUM Pitching - Stevens 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K.

WFW Pitching - Tay. Tobin 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K. Highlights - Smitherman 1-3, RBI; Fragner 1-1, RBI, BB; Middleton 1-3, 2B.

Entering the 2026 season, W.F. West coach Kevin Zylstra had never seen a perfect game in baseball, fastpitch softball, or slowpitch softball in more than four decades at the school.

In the span of three weeks in 2026, he has now seen two.

Taylor Tobin was perfect again on Friday, tossing her second perfect game of the season to lead W.F. West to a 2-0 victory over Tumwater.

"That was a lot of fun, and it was just so cool to do it again," Tobin said. "We were all synced and all together. It was awesome."

Tobin was quick to credit her defense, which helped her out starting with the first batter of the game.

Tumwater's Kendra Schiley hit a sinking line drive to left, but freshman left fielder Brooklyn Spencer made a diving catch to prevent Schiley from reaching base.

"If ESPN was around, it would be on the highlight reel," W.F. West coach Kevin Zylstra said. "It was that good of a catch."

It wasn't the only exceptional play that W.F. West made behind Tobin to keep the perfect game intact. Later in the game, a hot shot to third popped into the air after deflecting off Karlee Coleman's glove, but Coleman calmly grabbed it out of the air and fired to first to beat the runner.

"Our defense was amazing," Tobin said. "Just all of us staying locked in the whole time was awesome. Everyone was making amazing plays."

Tobin also took care of business in the circle, striking out seven. After the final out of the game, a lineout to first, Tobin wasn't even aware of the fact that she had completed the rare feat again until Zylstra told her.

Though if Zylstra hadn't told her right away, an approaching swarm of teammates ready to celebrate would have surely tipped her off seconds later.

"She just had this look in her eye today that was incredible," Zylstra said. "I could just tell that it was gonna be a day for something special."

Zylstra said he noticed Tobin's perfection around the fourth inning, and with each passing inning, he became more and more nervous to call pitches for her.

"You don't want to be the guy that throws down a curve and they hit it to right-center," Zylstra said while laughing. "She did an outstanding job ... One I thought was unreal. To do it again, I mean holy smokes. Tumwater, they're a scary hitting team, and she was just so dialed in once again."

To make the feat even more impressive, it was Tobin's third consecutive day in the circle.

"And she looked stronger today than she did Wednesday or Thursday," Zylstra said.

Offensively, the Bearcats did enough to support her, scoring twice in the bottom of the fourth.

Coleman and Gracie Elam singled to open the frame, and Allie Smitherman brought home Coleman with an RBI single. The next batter, Kenley Fragner, dropped a sacrifice bunt, and Elam was able to sprint home to make it 2-0.

"We just had to piece together a couple of runs," Zylstra said. "It was a great game."

W.F. West (9-2, 5-1 2A EvCo) will head to Shelton on Monday before hosting Aberdeen on Wednesday.

"It's so exciting, and it's so much fun to be with these girls," Tobin said. "We're all so close, and it's been so much fun."

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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 11:32 AM.