Seattle University could not get any offense going in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, and then the Redhawks could not take advantage of as many scoring opportunities as Saint Mary’s did in the nightcap, as the Gaels swept the twinbill from the Redhawks, 7-2 and 7-4, at Bannerwood Park.
The story of the first game was Saint Mary’s starter Corbin Burnes, who pitched a complete game as he held the Redhawks to just three hits, two walks, and two seventh-inning runs that prevented the shutout. He struck out eight batters and threw just 82 pitches in the seven innings, 56 of them for strikes.
Saint Mary’s (2-1) scored single runs in the second and third innings off Seattle U starter Skyler Genger (Kent, Wash.), and then the Gaels broke the game open in the fifth inning with three runs, the last two on a home run over the left field wall by Anthony Villa. Saint Mary’s scored two more runs in the sixth inning off Redhawk reliever David Marshall (Kennewick, Wash.) to complete its scoring in the first game.
With Seattle U not earning a hit from the second inning through the sixth, Grant Newton (Bend, Ore.) drew a one-out walk in the seventh inning, and pinch runner Nelson Taylor (Seattle, Wash.) came around to score on a triple hit by Sheldon Stober (Kent, Wash.). Stober would score on a groundout by pinch hitter Sean Sutton (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho), but Burnes picked up his final strikeout to close out the game.
Saint Mary’s scored in the first inning of the second game, as a Collin Ferguson double drove in Zach Kirtley and Villa followed with a sacrifice fly that plated Anthony Gonsolin. The Redhawks cut their deficit in half in the second inning as Stober led off with a single, advanced to third base on back-to-back passed balls, and scored on a single by Colin Peterson (Bellingham, Wash.). However, Seattle U could not continue the rally as Gael starter Johnny York struck out the next three batters.
Villa drove in single runs in the third and fifth innings to increase the Gael lead to 4-1, while York settled down and completed the first six innings, allowing just four hits and three walks while striking out five Redhawk batters.
In the seventh inning, Michael McCann (Vancouver, Wash.) drew a leadoff walk off Gael reliever Drew Strotman, and TJ Byrne (Federal Way, Wash.) followed with a double to center field. After back-to-back strikeouts, Landon Cray (Chimacum, Wash.) drew a walk to load the bases, and Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.) followed with a single to right field that scored McCann and Byrne, but Cray was thrown out trying to reach third base, ending the threat with the Redhawks still one run behind.
The Gaels scored two runs in the eighth inning thanks in part to two Seattle U errors, and then added one more run in the ninth inning. Gonsolin, already in the lineup as the designated hitter, came on to pitch the final two innings for Saint Mary’s and picked up the save in securing York’s victory.
Ted Hammond (Shoreline, Wash.) took the loss for the Redhawks, allowing seven hits, two walks, and four runs, three of them earned, in 6 1/3 innings of work. Garrett Anderson (Kennewick, Wash.) saw his first action of the season out of the bullpen, pitching two innings, and fellow senior Kyle Doyle (Covington, Wash.) picked up the final two outs for the Redhawks.
Villa led Saint Mary’s offensively, going 4-for-6 with a double, a home run, and six runs batted in during the doubleheader. Stober was the top hitter for the Redhawks, going 3-for-7 with two runs scored.
Seattle University (1-2) will look to split the weekend series with Saint Mary’s in the final game of the weekend Sunday, Feb. 15, starting at 12 noon at Bannerwood Park. Live stats and live audio will be available on GoSeattleU.com.