The baseball game between Seattle University and the University of Washington scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Husky Ballpark has been postponed. The contest, the first of three games between the crosstown rivals during the 2012 season, is now scheduled to take place Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 5 p.m. at Husky Ballpark. Dan Giuliani and Doug Buser will broadcast the game on GoSeattleU.com, starting with the pregame show at approximately 4:30 p.m.
ROAD EXPERIENCE: After opening the 2012 season at home, Seattle University hits the road for the first time this season, but the first road game will actually be a shorter trip for the Redhawks than the drive to their home games. Seattle U heads to Montlake to face the Washington Huskies in the first of a three-game series throughout the season. The Redhawks then make the first of two trips to the Sacramento area this season, facing the Hornets of Sacramento State in a three-game series.
THE UTAH VALLEY SERIES: For the first time since the reestablishment of the program, the Seattle U baseball team won its season opener, starting the 2012 campaign with an 8-2 victory over Utah Valley last Friday. Seafth Howe pitched eight strong innings, giving up only three hits, two walks, and one run while striking out two batters. Howe threw 96 pitches, 64 of them for strikes, and set down 17 of the final 18 batters he faced in the game. Sean Narby led the team offensively with a 4-for-5 performance, while Bryndon Ecklund went 3-for-5, including a home run, and Marcelino Morales was 2-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt, plus he was hit by a pitch. Saturday's scheduled game was rained out, forcing the two teams to play a doubleheader Sunday. Utah Valley's offense kicked into gear in the first game of Sunday's twinbill, scoring 15 runs on 16 hits in seven innings on its way to a 15-2 victory. Mason Stidham was one bright spot for the Redhawks, pitching two innings of one-hit relief in his first collegiate appearance. The Wolverines continued their hot hitting in the first inning of the second game, scoring three runs off Redhawk starter Bryan Dalton before the senior settled down. Grant Gunning pitched two innings of one-hit ball to keep Seattle U within striking distance. The Redhawk bats finally woke up in the seventh inning, with Doug Kincaid launching a grand slam over the right field wall to give the home team a 5-4 lead. Nate Roberts added a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning, as the Redhawks needed all the insurance they got. Utah Valley fought back with three runs in the top of the ninth inning, but Blaine Jones was able to induce two groundouts and a flyout to end the game in Seattle U's favor, 9-7. Riley Tompkins led the Redhawks with a 3-for-4 performance, scoring twice in the game.
SCOUTING WASHINGTON: The Huskies enter Wednesday's game with a 2-1 overall record, taking two of three at San Diego State over the weekend. Washington won the first two games by a three-run margin, 7-4 and 12-9, before losing the third game of the series, 10-9. As a team, the Huskies have posted a .343 batting average, a .982 fielding percentage, and a 6.92 earned run average. Offensively, Branden Berry leads the way, going 8-for-13 over the weekend with three runs scored, a triple, a home run, and three runs batted in. Jayce Ray went 6-for-14 with a double and a run batted in against San Diego State.
SERIES HISTORY: Seattle U and Washington are playing for the 114th time in history, with Washington holding a 61-52 series advantage. Since the reestablishment of the Redhawk baseball program, the Huskies have won five of seven meetings over the Redhawks. After losing all three games during the 2010 season, Seattle U broke through in 2011, winning the first two games to become the first Redhawk team to beat the Huskies since the start of the reclassification process in 2008. The Seattle U baseball program is still the only one to defeat Washington since the school decided to move back to NCAA Division I in 2008. On March 8 at Husky Ballpark, Seattle U won 4-2. The Redhawks needed extra innings for the next game, but they prevailed in 10 innings, 6-4. Washington won the only meeting of the season at Bannerwood Stadium on April 12, 11-0, followed by a 7-1 victory over the Redhawks back at Husky Ballpark April 19.
SCOUTING SACRAMENTO STATE: The Hornets enter the weekend with a 1-3 overall record after losing two of three to Cal State Northridge as well as one to Saint Mary's, alll at home. As a team, Sacramento State has posted a .270 batting average, a .981 fielding percentage, and a 3.50 earned run average. At the plate, Kyle Moses leads the way, hitting 8-of-15 so far this season with three runs scored, a triple, and a run batted in. No one hit a home run for the Hornets during the first four games, and no one has more than two runs batted in.
SERIES HISTORY: Seattle U hosted Sacramento State in a four-game series April 2-3, 2011. Due to unplayable conditions at Bannerwood Stadium, the series was moved to Husky Ballpark for back-to-back doubleheaders. All four games were close, with Sacramento State winning three of the contests. The Hornets swept the Saturday doubleheader, 10-7 and 3-2, before the Redhawks won the opener of Sunday's twinbill, 2-1. Sacramento State won the series finale, 3-1.
WEATHER FORECAST: Wednesday's forecast in Seattle calls for rain tapering off to showers, with temperatures in the 40s and winds reaching 20 to 30 miles per hour. Sunshine is in the forecast all weekend in Sacramento. Friday, the temperature is predicted to reach 70 degrees, but it will become cooler for the rest of the weekend, with temperatures remaining in the 50s Saturday and Sunday.