Seattle University and Washington engaged in a pitcher’s duel for the first five innings, but the Huskies broke through with a six-run sixth inning on their way to a 7-2 victory over the Redhawks Tuesday evening at Husky Ballpark.
Washington (17-29) struck first when Jayce Ray led off the bottom of the first with a bloop single into left-center field. Ray advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Andrew Ely, stole third base, and scored on a groundout to shortstop hit by Robert Pehl.
Seattle U’s first scoring threat came in the fifth inning as Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.) led off with a single and advanced to second when Ray misplayed the ball. However, Washington starter Zach Wright kept Olson at second with a strikeout and back-to-back flyouts to keep the Huskies ahead halfway through the game.
Cullen Hendrickson (Auburn, Wash.) led off the sixth inning with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Chase Fields (Ontario, Ore.), and reached third on a groundout hit by Landon Cray (Chimacum, Wash.). Nate Roberts (Silverdale, Wash.) drew a walk to extend the inning, but Husky reliever Tyler Davis escaped the jam by inducing a groundout to maintain the shutout for Washington.
In the bottom of the sixth, Washington put together a big inning as Ely and Pehl led off with back-to-back singles. After Connor Moore (West Richland, Wash.) picked up a strikeout, Trevor Mitsui laced a double into left-center field, driving in Ely. Pehl would score on a wild pitch thrown by Ted Hammond (Shoreline, Wash.), who was lifted after a four-pitch walk to pinch hitter Brian Wolfe.
Will Dennis’s (Saratoga, Calif.) outing was limited to two batters, as Joe Meggs hit the first pitch he saw into center field for a single, scoring Mitsui, and Austin Rei followed with a double into right-center field, allowing both Wolfe and Meggs to score. After Mason Stidham (Star, Idaho) came on in relief, Ty Afenir and Ray collected consecutive singles, with Ray’s single scoring Rei to extend Washington’s lead to 7-0.
The Redhawks finally broke through in the top of the seventh inning, as Olson led off with a single and Nick Latta (Tacoma, Wash.) followed with a double down the left field line. Steve Kirbach’s (Kirkland, Wash.) grounder to second base drove in Olson, and Latta would score on a sacrifice fly hit by Sean Narby (Auburn, Wash.). Hendrickson extended the inning with a double down the right field line, but Fields hit a line drive right to Pehl to end the Redhawk threat.
Wright earned the victory for the Huskies after allowing just two hits in five innings while striking out four Redhawk batters. Moore suffered the loss, giving up just one hit through the first five innings before Washington started its offensive onslaught in the sixth. Olson and Hendrickson finished with two hits apiece for the Redhawks, while Ray was the only Husky with multiple hits during the contest.
Seattle University (19-29) heads to Bakersfield, Calif., to face WAC-leading CSU Bakersfield in a three-game series this weekend, starting Friday, May 10, at 6 p.m. Dan Giuliani will broadcast all three games from Hardt Field on GoSeattleU.com, with the pregame show taking place shortly before first pitch each day.