Abbott made history on August 17, 2008, by throwing the first perfect game (no hits, walks, hit batters, or errors) in Olympic softball history. She struck out nine batters in the five-inning, 8-0 win against the Netherlands, which was shortened from the usual seven innings due to the Olympic mercy rule. The perfect game was nothing new for Abbott, who recorded six of them during her NCAA career, but to do it on the Olympic stage, when the pressure was highest, sent her to the history books.