Seattle University received great pitching throughout the day, and the Redhawks were able to convert on enough scoring opportunities to sweep a baseball doubleheader from the Northwestern University Wildcats, 6-1 and 3-2, Friday afternoon at Bannerwood Park.
Skyler Genger (Kent, Wash.) pitched a complete game in the opener, allowing just three hits, including a solo home run to Joe Hoscheit in the seventh inning. Genger retired the first nine Northwestern batters in order and struck out 11 Wildcats to pick up the victory.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Dalton Hurd (Bend, Ore.) led off with a single up the middle, stole second base, and scored on a single up the middle by Griffin Andreychuk (Nanaimo, B.C.). After Jack Reisinger (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) reached base to put runners at the corners with one out, Sheldon Stober (Kent, Wash.) drove in Andreychuk with a single through the left side of the infield.
With two outs, Colin Peterson (Bellingham, Wash.) was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.) made the Wildcats pay for that decision, hitting a double to left-center field that scored Reisinger and Stober. Brock Carpenter (Milton, Wash.) drew a walk to once again load the bases, and Hurd sent a single into right-center field, driving in Peterson and pinch runner Curtis Perrin (Vancouver, Wash.) to extend the Redhawk lead to 6-0.
In the second game, Andreychuk led off the bottom of the first inning with a double to left-center field, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Reisinger, and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Stober. Seattle U would extend its lead in the fourth inning when Stober led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Grant Newton (Bend, Ore.), reached third on a single by Peterson, and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Olson.
Northwestern (4-13) broke through in the fifth inning off Seattle U starter Ky Dye (Everett, Wash.) when J.R. Reimer, Grant Peikert, and Kyle Ruchim collected consecutive singles with one, with Ruchim’s single driving in Reimer. Zach Jones sent a fly ball into center field deep enough for Peikert to score the run to tie the game at 2-2 halfway through the contest.
In the bottom of the sixth, Stober led off with a triple and scored on a single to right field by Newton, allowing the Redhawks to retake the lead. That proved to be enough for Ted Hammond (Shoreline, Wash.), who came on in relief of Dye and allowed just one hit over the final four innings while striking out five batters to pick up the victory.
Seattle University (7-13) will look for the series win when it faces Northwestern one more time Saturday, March 14. The start time has been moved up to 11 a.m., with live stats and live audio/video available on GoSeattleU.com.