TOP OF THE HEAP: Seattle University is the number one seed in the Western Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament this week, held at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona. The Redhawks will be in action first on Thursday, May 21, at 7 p.m. against the lowest seed among the two winners from Wednesday’s games. The winner of the WAC Tournament will receive the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
2015 REGULAR SEASON REVIEW: Seattle University opened the 2015 season with a convincing 11-1 victory over Saint Mary’s, but the Redhawks lost the next three games to the Gaels, starting an eight-game losing streak. The Redhawks swept Fairleigh Dickinson and won the first game of a weekend series against UC Davis, but then suffered another four-game losing streak. Seattle U started to turn things around with a doubleheader sweep over Northwestern, and then the Redhawks started the conference season with a 9-8 13-inning victory over Utah Valley in which Brian Olson hit a walk-off home run. The Redhawks took two of three games from the Wolverines, and then swept Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Texas. Seattle U returned home and won seven straight games, sweeping both Sacramento State and New Mexico State to move to the top of the WAC standings. The Redhawks fell in the league standings thanks to three straight series losses against North Dakota and at both Bakersfield and Grand Canyon. Seattle U ended the regular season by winning six of its final eight games, taking two of three games from Chicago State and sweeping Northern Colorado on the road.
WHERE TO CATCH THE GAMES: Tickets for the WAC Baseball Tournament are now on sale. All-session passes cost $35, or $20 for children ages 3-12. A single day ticket will be available at the Hohokam Stadium Box Office starting Wednesday, May 20, for $15 per adult or $10 per child age 3-12. For those unable to travel to Mesa, every game of the tournament will be streamed by the WAC Digital Network (www.wacsports.com/watch). Also, all Seattle U games will have an audio stream on GoSeattleU.com, with Jake Eastman providing the play-by-play starting with the pregame show shortly before first pitch.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: In the NCAA statistical rankings released Monday, May 18, Skyler Genger has moved up to eighth in the country in strikeouts with 113. Landon Cray is eighth on the toughest to strikeout list, striking out once every 18.6 plate appearances.