The Seattle University baseball team got back on the winning track Saturday against Fairleigh Dickinson University, sweeping a doubleheader from the Knights, 6-0 and 14-1, at Bannerwood Park.
Will Dennis (Saratoga, Calif.) once again produced a quality start for the Redhawks, allowing just three hits and one walk in seven innings of work while striking out six batters. Janson Junk (Federal Way, Wash.) came on in relief and allowed just one hit and one walk in two innings on the mound, striking out three hitters.
Seattle U did most of its damage in the second inning off Knight starter Joe Borelli, as Grant Newton (Bend, Ore.) led off with a double and advanced to third on a single by Sheldon Stober (Kent, Wash.). Michael McCann (Vancouver, Wash.) drove in Newton with a bloop single into left field, and Brock Carpenter (Milton, Wash.), in his first at-bat of the season, cleared the bases with a triple to right-center field. Carpenter would score the Redhawks’ fourth run of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Dalton Hurd (Bend, Ore.).
The Redhawks added a run in the sixth inning when Stober led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild throw off a pickoff attempt, and scored on a single by McCann. Seattle U completed its scoring in the eighth inning when McCann drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a groundout, and scored on a single to right field by Sean Sutton (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho).
Seattle U jumped on the board in the first inning of game two when Landon Cray (Chimacum, Wash.) led off with a walk, stole second base, advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.). The Redhawks added a run in the fourth inning when Sutton led off with a single, advanced to second on a Stober walk, and scored on a single to center field by Jack Reisinger (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.).
Sutton drove in two runs in the fifth inning with a double down the right field line, and then the Redhawks broke the game open with three runs in the sixth inning and seven runs in the eighth inning. Overall, Seattle U collected 16 hits in the nightcap, led by Sutton’s 4-for-5 performance.
Skyler Genger (Kent, Wash.) picked up his first win of the season, giving up just two hits, two walks, and one run in seven innings of work while striking out eight batters. Tarik Skubal (Kingman, Ariz.) pitched two perfect innings, striking out three of the final four batters he faced in the game.
Seattle University (3-8) will look for the series sweep over Fairleigh Dickinson Sunday, March 1, starting at 2 p.m. at Bannerwood Park. Live stats and live video will be available on GoSeattleU.com.