After a Seattle University comeback tied the game, Washington scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and held on to defeat the Redhawks, 5-4, Tuesday night at Bannerwood Park.
After Husky pitchers Austin Voth and Tyler Davis set down the first 15 Redhawk batters in order, Nick Palewicz came on to start the bottom of the sixth inning and gave up a single to Nate Roberts (Silverdale, Wash.) and a double to Grant Newton (Bend, Ore.). Marcelino Morales (Pasco, Wash.) laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Roberts, and Trent Oleszczuk (Beaverton, Ore.) drew a walk to put runners on the corners with one out.
Michael Tevlin (Billings, Mont.) laced a line drive into the right-center field gap for a double, driving in both Newton and Oleszczuk. Riley Tompkins (Lynnwood, Wash.) hit a chopper towards the mound, but Palewicz's throw was wide off first base, allowing Tevlin to come around and score the game-tying run. Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.) walked to put two runners on base, but Washington reliever Tyler Kane came on and retired the next two Seattle U hitters to end the inning.
Kyle Doyle (Covington, Wash.) had retired five batters in a row, but Jacob Lamb led off the top of the eighth inning with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and reached third on a bunt single by B.K. Santy, who advanced to second on another wild pitch. After intentionally walking pinch hitter Ryan Wiggins to load the bases, Doyle was lifted for Eric Yardley (Richland, Wash.), but Lindsay Meggs's bouncer could not be handled by Yardley, allowing Lamb to score the go-ahead run.
Adam Cimber came on in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Huskies and got through the inning with just a single hit by the Redhawks. In the ninth inning, Jace Sloan (Puyallup, Wash.) drew a leadoff walk, and pinch runner Eric Koenig (Auburn, Wash.) advanced to second on a Kincaid sacrifice bunt. Cimber struck out the next two batters to end the game and pick up his first save of the season.
Washington (28-24) took the early lead in the first inning as Meggs hit his first home run of the season, followed by four consecutive singles off first-time starter Jake Chutney (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) that drove in two more runs. Evan Ewing (Spokane, Wash.) came on in relief of Chutney and pitched 4 2/3 innings, giving up only three hits and a fourth-inning run while striking out four batters.
Tevlin finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI, while Newton was 2-for-3. For the Huskies, Trevor Mitsui went 3-for-5 with an RBI, Lamb scored twice as part of a 2-for-4 night, and Meggs went 2-for-5 with a run scored and two runs batted in.
Seattle University (22-28) completes the regular season with a three-game series against the University of Portland, starting Friday, May 25, at 1 p.m. at Bannerwood Park. The games Saturday, May 26 (1 p.m.) and Sunday, May 27 (12 p.m.) will be played at Bellevue College's Courter Field, with Senior Day ceremonies taking place before Saturday's game.