McCorkle's Corner: The College Report XI
Home Coverage – UW softball mourns death of R.A. Long alum Harris; plus other local talents at the next level
By Rick McCorkle for Blast Zone Media / blastzonenews@gmail.com
Collegiate Athletics / Alumni Radar
College Softball
R.A. Long and University of Washington graduate Baily Harris, who played softball at both stops, passed away on Oct. 14.
Born March 19, 1991, Harris attended RAL where she lettered in softball and cross country. On the softball diamond, she was a two-time Greater St. Helens 2A League Most Valuable Player, a second-team All-State standout as a sophomore, and an All-State honorable mention pick as a junior. In 2023, she was inducted into the RAL Hall of Fame.
After graduation in 2009, Harris took her talents to the University of Washington.
“We expect Baily Harris to come in and carry a significant load of the pitching in her freshman year,” UW Coach Heather Tarr said at the time of her signing. “She is a crafty right-handed pitcher and a great student. We look forward to seeing Baily’s impact on our program on the field and in the classroom.”
Harris had a simple reason why she chose the Huskies.
I was born and raised a Husky fan,” she said. “I knew I wanted to play there, especially after watching the softball team play Arizona State at Husky Stadium when I was 10 years old.”
In her first collegiate game, Harris pitched a three-hitter as the Huskies beat-up Boise State 14-1 in a fall doubleheader in Selah. In 2010, she compiled a 9-4 record with a 3.63 earned run average. In the Husky Softball Classic, she twirled a five-hitter as UW turned away Seattle University 5-1. In the NCAA Super Regionals against Oklahoma, Harris tossed two scoreless innings of one-hit relief.
In 2011, Harris was 2-0 with a team second-best 4.20 earned run average. She picked up both of her victories during the season’s opening weekend at the SportCo Kickoff Classic in Las Vegas against Cal-Riverside.
Harris graduated with honors, earning a degree in Sociology. She later began online classes at Liberty University to pursue a career as a Christian Counselor, until her health started to decline.
She worked for more than seven years as a Paraeducator in the Longview School District. Harris was also the owner and operator of B Natural Blends, a small business that perfectly reflected her creativity and generosity.
Harris is survived by her parents, Jeff and Sue Harris, her grandparents, Rollie and Judy Harris, and her cherished cat, Lulu.
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