THE BIGGEST LITTLE CITY: Seattle University steps on a plane for the first time since the first weekend of the season, heading to Reno, Nev., Thursday in preparation of a three-game weekend series against the Wolf Pack of the University of Nevada. Dan Giuliani will broadcast all three games of the series on GoSeattleU.com. The Redhawks are coming off an extra-inning victory over Washington, bringing some confidence into the weekend series. Meanwhile, Nevada is starting to show signs of improvement after a tough start to its season. Seattle U will look for its first victory over the Wolf Pack after Nevada swept the season series in 2010.
TAMING THE HUSKIES: For the second time this season, Seattle University marched into Husky Ballpark and came away with a victory over crosstown rival Washington, this time a 6-4 win in 10 innings. Josh Kutz led off the top of the seventh inning with a home run to left field. Jace Sloan followed with his second double of the game, and a Cullen Hendrickson single put runners on first and third with nobody out. After a pitching change, Marcelino Morales laced a single up the middle that drove in Sloan and, after a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third, Hendrickson scored on a sacrifice fly by Nate Roberts. The Huskies answered back in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Ty Afenir reached on a throwing error by Kutz, Spencer Rogers singled, and Joe Meggs was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Jacob Lamb drove in Afenir, and Rogers hustled around third and scored on a ground ball hit by Troy Scott to bring Washington within one at 4-3. Blaine Jones came on in the bottom of the ninth attempting to save the game, but singles by Lamb, Scott, and Eric Peterson allowed the Huskies to pull into a 4-4 tie. Peterson took off for second base and Jones threw to Trent Oleszczuk, who fired a throw home to catch Scott attempting to steal home with the winning run, forcing extra innings. With one out in the 10th inning, Doug Kincaid walked, and Matt Comer earned an infield single. Michael Tevlin followed with a single through the right side of the infield that scored Kincaid, and Hendrickson drove in Comer with a sacrifice fly for an insurance run. Jones came back out for the 10th inning and gave up a leadoff walk to Brendan Gardner-Young, but B.K. Santy lined into a double play and Reggie Jones popped out to end the game.
THIS WEEKEND'S PROBABLE MATCHUPS
Friday, April 1 - 2:00 p.m. start:
Seattle U: #55 RHP Max Whieldon - 0-3, 4.19 ERA, 38.2 IP, 36 H, 18 ER, 9 BB, 15 SO
Nevada: #36 RHP Tom Jameson - 2-4, 6.55 ERA, 33.0 IP, 47 H, 24 ER, 14 BB, 21 SO
Saturday, April 2 - 1:00 p.m. start:
Seattle U: #23 RHP Brandon Kizer - 4-2, 3.86 ERA, 32.2 IP, 31 H, 14 ER, 5 BB, 18 SO
Nevada: #30 RHP Mark Joukoff - 1-5, 6.06 ERA, 35.2 IP, 44 H, 24 ER, 20 BB, 16 SO
Sunday, April 3 - 11:00 a.m. start:
Seattle U: #30 RHP Seafth Howe - 4-1, 1.91 ERA, 37.2 IP, 25 H, 8 ER, 9 BB, 12 SO
Nevada: #22 LHP Brock Stassi - 0-1, 17.36 ERA, 4.2 IP, 12 H, 9 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO
SCOUTING NEVADA: The Wolf Pack come into the weekend series with an 8-16 overall record after winning two of three games from Utah Valley last weekend and defeating UC Davis, 7-4, Monday. Nevada played an exhibition game against the Reno Aces (Triple-A affiliate of Arizona Diamondbacks) Tuesday night to raise money for the University of Nevada Dugout Club. Nevada has been a streaky team, losing its first nine games before winning four in a row, then losing six of seven contests before currently winning three of its last four games. As a team, the Wolf Pack has put together a .261 batting average, a .965 fielding percentage, and a 6.05 earned run average. Nick Melino is the team's leading hitter, batting .374 with 34 hits, 16 runs scored, five doubles, three home runs, eight RBI, and four stolen bases. Joe Kohan leads the way with 14 runs batted in to go along with a .337 batting average. Brock Stassi has walked 23 times so far this season. The starting pitching has been shaky for the Wolf Pack, but Matt Gardner has established himself as the closer. In 10 appearances, he is 1-0 with four saves and a 0.00 ERA, striking out 16 batters in 10 2/3 innings of work.
LAST SEASON: These two teams met for the first time last season, meeting three times in Reno April 1-3 and three times in Bellevue April 16-18. After the first game of the series in Reno was postponed due to snow, the teams played a doubleheader April 2, with the Wolf Pack winning both games, 12-10 and 17-3. In the final game of that series April 3, Seattle U held a 4-2 lead, but Nevada came back with two runs in the sixth and one run in the ninth for a 5-4 win. The Wolf Pack also swept the series at Bannerwood Park, winning 11-5, 22-0, and 4-1. Doug Buser led the Redhawks in the six games against the Wolf Pack, batting .417 (10-of-24) with five runs scored, a double, a home run, four RBI, and four stolen bases. In four relief appearances against Nevada, Max Whieldon posted a 0.93 ERA, holding Wolf Pack hitters to a .176 batting average.
BROADCASTING LIVE: Dan Giuliani will broadcast all home games and selected road contests on GoSeattleU.com, with a pregame show commencing about 25-30 minutes before the scheduled first pitch. Seattle U director of baseball operations Drew Samuelson or former Redhawk Doug Buser will join Giuliani on most broadcasts. Giuliani will also put together a weekly podcast that accompanies the weekly preview on GoSeattleU.com.
THE LEADER OF THE REDHAWKS: Donny Harrel begins his second season as the head coach of the Seattle University baseball program. At the University of Washington as an assistant coach for four seasons, Harrel was not only responsible for assisting in on-field coaching, but he also was responsible for the Huskies' schedule and assisted with travel issues, budgeting, and helping student-athletes through the admissions process. He also oversaw the team's academic performance and was named Academic Coach of the Quarter in Winter 2007 when the team broke a 14-year record for highest cumulative grade point average. His head coaching experience comes from seven seasons at Lane Community College in Eugene, Ore., where he compiled a 220-90 record and led the team to the NWAACC championship in 1999. Named NWAACC Southern Division Coach of the Year four times, he also led fundraising efforts to build a field, improve other facilities, buy equipment, and increase scholarship opportunities.
WEATHER FORECAST: As of Tuesday, April 5, the weather looks to improve as the series moves into the weekend. Friday calls for a 30% chance of showers with highs in the upper 40s. There will be a mix of sun and clouds for Saturday's game with temperatures in the mid 50s. The wind will pick up on Sunday, with the mix of sun and clouds remaining and temperatures moving into the upper 50s.
BEATING THE PAC-10: With Tuesday's victory over Washington, Seattle U is now 3-1 against teams from the Pac-10 Conference. The Redhawks defeated Washington March 8 at Husky Ballpark, 4-2. Seattle U started its Spring Break road trip with a 5-4 victory over then-23rd ranked Oregon State in Corvallis March 22 before losing the second game of the midweek series the next night, 4-2. The Redhawks have four more games scheduled against Pac-10 schools. Next Tuesday, Seattle U is scheduled to host Washington at Bannerwood Park, followed by the final game of the four-game set between the intracity rivals April 19 at Husky Ballpark. Seattle U will host Oregon at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma Tuesday, May 10, followed by a matinee at Bannerwood Park Wednesday, May 11.
PLAYING WITH HOUSE MONEY: The victory over Washington was Seattle University's 11th of the season, matching the squad's win total from the entire 2010 campaign. After 23 games last season, Seattle U was just 3-20 and coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of the Nevada Wolf Pack in Reno. The improvement has been most apparent in the pitching and defense for the Redhawks. Last season, the team posted a .956 fielding percentage (84 errors in 50 games) and a 6.80 earned run average. So far this season, the fielding percentage has improved to .972 (25 errors in 23 games) and the earned run average has been cut down to 3.58. Another key for the Redhawks has been the ability to come back from adversity. Seattle U was just 2-27 when the opponent scored first. This season, the Redhawks are 7-8 when their opponents score the first run of the game. Last season Oregon led the NCAA for the biggest improvement from 2009 to 2010 with a 22-game positive swing. With every victory, Seattle U will be adding to its improvement from 2010 to 2011.