THE MEASURING STICK: Over two years ago, Seattle University played its first intercollegiate baseball games in 24 years at Bailey-Brayton Field against the Washington State Cougars, losing two games by a combined score of 34-6. The improvement of the program started to show later in that year when Seattle U held a late lead over Washington State in Wenatchee before the Cougars pulled out an 8-5 victory. Now, after victories over other Pac-12 schools such as Washington and Oregon State, the Redhawks are ready to show the Cougars that they are vastly improved from where they were in February 2010.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Thursday, April 5: RHP Brandon Kizer (3-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. RHP J.D. Leckenby (3-3, 4.23 ERA)
Friday, April 6: RHP Grant Gunning (3-2, 1.10 ERA) vs. LHP Joe Pistorese (1-2, 3.80 ERA)
Saturday, April 7: RHP Seafth Howe (2-2, 2.87 ERA) vs. RHP Tanner Chleborad (1-0, 5.55 ERA)
SCOUTING WASHINGTON STATE: The Cougars enter the weekend series with a 13-12 overall record after losing to Gonzaga Tuesday night, 9-3. As a team, Washington State has compiled a .296 batting average, a .978 fielding percentage, and a 5.46 earned run average. Offensively, Derek Jones leads the way with a .407 batting average, earning 37 hits, including eight doubles, three triples, and seven home runs for a .791 slugging percentage. He also leads the team with 15 walks, including three intentional walks, for a .495 on-base percentage. He was named Pac-12 Player of the Week Monday after batting .563 in games against UCLA, Long Beach State, and USC last week. Tommy Richards is the only Cougar to start every game so far this season, batting .363 so far this season. On the mound, Thursday's starter J.D. Leckenby leads the team with three victories and 28 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings of work. Scott Simon has picked up a team-high three saves in 13 appearances.
SEATTLE U VS. WASHINGTON STATE: Washington State leads the all-time series over Seattle U, 12-5. The teams first met in 1952, with 14 meetings taking place between then and 1984. When Seattle U reestablished the baseball program, the first games in 2010 came against Washington State at Bailey-Brayton Field, with the Cougars sweeping a two-game set Feb. 20-21, 11-6 and 23-0. The two teams met later in the 2010 season in Wenatchee, Wash., April 13. Seattle U jumped ahead three times, 2-0, 4-2, and 5-4, but the Cougars scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to pull out an 8-5 victory.
THE NORTHERN COLORADO SERIES: Once again, Seattle University was forced to deal with more than its opponent for the weekend, as the weather forced the schedule of the three-game series to be shifted around. Seattle U and Northern Colorado agreed to play a doubleheader at Bannerwood Park Friday. In the first game, Seattle U took an early 1-0 lead when Nate Roberts doubled and scored on a single by Trent Oleszczuk. Northern Colorado tied the game at 1-1 in the sixth inning, and then scored three runs in the seventh inning. Meanwhile, the Redhawks left 14 men on base, allowing the Bears to win the opening game, 4-1. In game two of the doubleheader, Northern Colorado scored two runs in the top of the first, but Seattle U pulled into a 2-2 tie with two runs in the bottom of the second. The Redhawks scored a single run in the fourth inning, but the Bears responded with a run of their own in the fifth inning. In the seventh inning, Riley Tompkins drove in Marcelino Morales with the go-ahead run, and Grant Gunning pitched three innings of perfect relief to help Seattle U hold on for the 4-3 victory. With rain continuing to come down overnight, Saturday's game was moved to a turf field in Shoreline. Tompkins hit a solo home run in the first inning, and Seattle U scored three times in the second to take a 4-0 lead. Northern Colorado scored twice in the fifth inning to cut the Redhawk lead in half, but once again a Seattle U relief pitcher shut down the Bears, as Jake Chutney allowed just one hit in 3 1/3 innings of work. The Redhawks added a run in the sixth inning, and Eric Yardley left the bases loaded in the ninth to help Seattle U win the series with a 5-2 victory.
WEATHER FORECAST: As of Wednesday, April 4, the weekend forecast calls for partly to mostly cloudy skies with temperatures climbing from the low 40s Thursday to the high 40s Saturday.
TO THE NORTH: Tickets are now on sale for the collegiate baseball game April 23 between Seattle University and Washington State at Everett Memorial Stadium, the home of the Everett AquaSox. General admission tickets cost $7 for adults, $5 for youth under 17 years of age, and $5 per ticket for groups of 15 or more. Seattle U students will receive free admission with a vaild student ID. Tickets are now available through the AquaSox office by calling 425-258-3673 or by going online to this website: http://ea1.glitnirticketing.com/eaticket/web/stadiumg.php?status_id=2&event_id=213.
TO THE SOUTH: The Seattle U baseball team will also head back to Cheney Stadium, the home of the Tacoma Rainiers, for a game against the BYU Cougars Friday, April 12, at 6 p.m. The Redhawks hosted the Oregon Ducks last season in Tacoma and welcome the chance to head back to the historic stadium to face the Cougars. Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster or by contacting the Seattle U Athletic Ticket Office at (206) 398-GOSU (4678).
OTHER SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS: After weather cost Seattle U games against UConn and San Jose State, the Redhawks have added two games to the 2012 schedule. Seattle U and BYU have agreed to add a game to next weekend's series, making Thursday a doubleheader at Bannerwood Park beginning at 3 p.m. Seattle U will also head south to face the Portland Pilots Wednesday, April 25, starting at 3 p.m.