It’s rare for anyone to achieve perfection, but King’s Fork High School junior Sydney Wash is not just anyone. For the first time in her softball career, the ace pitcher threw a perfect game, spearheading a 15-0 defeat of host Denbigh High School on Tuesday.

To achieve a perfect game, all of the batters of the opposing team must be retired in order, never being allowed to get on base. The game ended after six innings due to the mercy rule, and during that time, Wash faced 18 batters.

She threw 14 strikeouts, fielded what became a ground out, junior Jasmine Holloman fielded a grounder for an out and junior Shaina Holland did also, along with catching a foul pop fly.

Wash was not aware of her accomplishment when the game had ended.

“I knew I had a no-hitter going, but I didn’t know the necessary requirements for a perfect game,” she said.

She did not have to wait long to get the good news.

“My mom jumped up and screamed, ‘You did it!’” Wash said.

Her mother, Diane Wash, said, “It was huge.”

“She’s been pitching since she was 10,” she said of her daughter, putting the achievement in perspective. “I know she’s always wanted a perfect game, so I was just very, very proud of her.”

Ranking the feat among her personal accomplishments, Sydney Wash said it is “probably at the top.”

“It definitely means a lot,” she said. “I’ve never done it before, so it’s like a great step forward.”

Lady Bulldogs head coach Richard Froemel has seen many superlative Wash performances by this point, and this one fit right in, despite some lingering effects of her back injury.

“I wasn’t surprised because she’s capable of it, but I was happy for her,” he said. “The way she battled back from that injury. We’re taking baby steps and now she’s at that point where she can go the distance.”

In terms of her back giving her issues during the perfect game, she said it did a little bit, but it was not terrible.

She said she was able to achieve the perfect game through hard work and determination.

“I just put my mind to it and just pitched my heart out,” she said.

That has been particularly evident all week long. On Monday, she threw a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts in a five-inning, mercy-rule shortened 13-0 victory over host Phoebus High School.

On Wednesday, she put up a great showing against the now 18-0 host Great Bridge High School. Though her mom said she was obviously hurting toward the end of King’s Fork’s 2-0 loss, she still threw seven strikeouts and only allowed four hits for the game.

The Lady Bulldogs (9-7, 4-2) close out the week on Friday against visiting Heritage High School.