MAY MADNESS: For the first time in 60 years, the Seattle University baseball program will be participating in an NCAA Division I postseason competition, as the Redhawks head to Mesa, Arizona, for the 2014 Western Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament. The baseball team looks to be the third Seattle U squad to win the conference tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament this academic year, joining the women’s soccer and men’s soccer programs.
THE PREVIOUS WEEK: Seattle University went 3-2 during the past week, starting with a 6-0 loss to #5 Washington at Husky Ballpark. The Redhawks had their chances, stranding 10 runners on base. Despite the loss, Seattle U still won the season series over its crosstown rival for the first time since 1979. Seattle U took the first two games of the weekend series over Bakersfield, 4-2 and 8-5, before losing the final game of the weekend, 10-0. In the opener, the combination of Mac Acker and Garrett Anderson held off the Roadrunners, not walking anyone while combining for 11 strikeouts. Thursday’s victory was the 100th in the head coaching career of Donny Harrel at Seattle U, and it was the 24th win of the season for Seattle U, the most for the Redhawks since the baseball program came back in 2010. A five-run second inning gave Seattle U the lead on Friday, but the Redhawks needed to hold off the Roadrunners at the end. Cash McGuire went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, including his second home run of the season. Nothing went right for the Redhawks on Senior Day Saturday, but Seattle U rebounded with a 4-3 victory over Washington State Monday hours before heading to Arizona.
CLOSE SHAVE: Seattle University has been involved in many exciting games this season, playing 19 one-run games, tied for 14th-most in the country. The Redhawks are 11-8 in those 19 contests, including a 1-0 victory over then-fifth ranked Washington April 22. Their most recent one-run game came Monday at Bannerwood Park, as the Redhawks held on for a 4-3 victory over Washington State. Seattle U has now won four of its last five one-run contests.
MESA WEATHER FORECAST: For late May, it actually will not be too bad. The daytime temperatures are expected to be in the high 80s to low 90s before falling into the mid 60s at night.
WAC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT: The 2014 WAC Baseball Tournament will employ a double-elimination format. The top two seeds (Sacramento State and Texas-Pan American) do not play until Thursday, while the other four teams start their participation Wednesday. The losers of Wednesday’s games face each other Thursday morning in the first elimination game of the week. Two additional elimination games will be played Friday, with one more Saturday afternoon. The first championship game is scheduled for Saturday, May 24, at 7 p.m., with the "if necessary" game set for Sunday, May 25, at 12 noon. For one of the top two seeds, three straight wins earns them the tournament title. For one of the teams that loses Wednesday, it will take six straight victories in order to earn the tournament title. All-session passes cost $35 each and are available through Visit Mesa. Single-day tickets for $15 apiece can be purchased at the stadium beginning May 21 at 11 a.m. All tickets are general admission seating. There will be a live video stream of every tournament game provided by the conference. Every game of the tournament can be viewed for a single subscription price of $12.95 which will include on-demand viewing of any of the games the following day. For more information, visit the WAC website at www.wacsports.com.