Playing on a newly-installed turf infield, Seattle University used solid pitching and timely hitting to take the lead, and then came alive offensively to earn an 11-1 victory over Saint Mary’s College Friday evening in a non-conference collegiate baseball game at Bannerwood Park.
The Redhawks struck in the bottom of the first inning when Griffin Andreychuk (Nanaimo, B.C.) led off with a single, advanced to second on a walk by Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.), and came around to score on a double down the right field line by Grant Newton (Bend, Ore.). Saint Mary’s starter Cameron Neff worked his way out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
Saint Mary’s (0-1) put together a two-out rally to tie the game in the fourth inning thanks to a double by Anthony Villa and an RBI single from Nate Nolan. However, Redhawk starter Will Dennis (Saratoga, Calif.) would not allow any more runs in the game, stranding two Gael runners on base in both the fifth and sixth innings thanks to inning-ending strikeouts.
Seattle U took the lead for good in the fifth inning when Landon Cray (Chimacum, Wash.) reached base on an error, took advantage of another Gael misplay to advance to third base on an Olson single, and scored on a Newton sacrifice bunt.
Dalton Hurd (Bend, Ore.) and Eric Koenig (Auburn, Wash.) were both hit by pitches from Neff to lead off the sixth inning, and the runners advanced to second and third on a Colin Peterson (Bellingham, Wash.) sacrifice bunt. Hurd scored on a groundout by Andreychuk, Cray followed with a single, and Olson drove in Koenig with a single to right field. After a single up the middle by Newton drove in Cray, Sheldon Stober (Kent, Wash.) broke the game open with a two-run double to right-center field, scoring both Olson and Newton.
Grant Gunning (Snohomish, Wash.) allowed just a walk in two innings of relief, and the Redhawks extended their lead further with four runs in the eighth inning, including a two-run single by Nelson Taylor (Seattle, Wash.) that featured Michael McCann (Vancouver, Wash.) hustling from second base to home plate.
Ky Dye (Everett, Wash.) pitched a perfect ninth inning to close out the contest. Dennis picked up the victory, allowing seven hits, one walk, and one run in six innings of work while striking out five batters. Neff took the loss for the Gaels, giving up five hits, two walks, and four runs, three of them earned, in 5 2/3 innings on the mound.
Andreychuk went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Olson was 2-for-2 with three walks and two runs scored and Newton finished the game 2-for-3 with four runs batted in. Nolan led the Gaels with a 3-for-3 effort at the plate, while Anthony Gonsolin was the only other Saint Mary’s player to enjoy a multiple-hit game, going 2-for-4.
Seattle University (1-0) continues the weekend series with Saint Mary’s Saturday, Feb. 14, with a doubleheader consisting of a seven-inning game followed by a nine-inning contest. The first game of the twinbill is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.