BOISE, Idaho — Seattle U baseball struggled on Saturday as it was swept in its doubleheader with Boise State. The Redhawks were out hit ___ as they dropped the opener, 9-2, before succumbing to a tough 11-9 decision in the night cap.
The Redhawks will look to even the series in the finale on Sunday, first pitch is scheduled for 12:05 pm Pacific.
GAME 1: Seattle U 2, Boise State 9
Defensive woes loomed large for the Redhawks in the twin bill opener as Boise State scored four unearned runs on a season-high six errors. Boise State also battled a cause of sloppy defense as it coughed up four errors on the day.
Austin Lively tallied the first score of the day as he rattled across home for an unearned run as Chase Wells reached on a two-out error in the first. The Redhawks struck again in the fifth as Dylan Gerard drove in Julian Kodama with single to right-center, trimming the Bronco advantage to 6-2.
Boise State scored once in the first but soon assumed a 6-1 lead after the third. Int he fifth, the Bronco margin grew to 8-2 after a two-run home run, before they tacked on one more in the sixth.
At the plate, Julian Kodama went 2-for-5, while Lively, Gerard, Wells and Trevor Antonson made up the balance of Redhawks' six hits.
Seattle U starter Ethan Christianson (1-3) was charged with the loss, allowing four runs, two earned, on three hits in 1.2 innings. Reliever Alex Jemal then followed as he worked the next 4.1 innings, surrendering five runs, three earned, on seven hits while striking out out a season-best five batter. Max Cuenca and Desmond Parisotto then combined for three hits as they split the final two frames.
GAME 2: Seattle U 9, Boise State 11
Trailing 10-5 though five frames, the Redhawks battled back in the sixth, cutting the deficit to one with a four-run inning. The rally began with Wells scoring on a Gavin Rork bloop-single to center. Antonson then plated two more with shot through the middle allowing Grant Heiser and Rork to make it 10-8. Justin Mazzone then brought Antonson in for his team-leading ninth RBI of season.
After a Boise State run in the bottom half of the sixth, Seattle U threatened the Bronco advantage again in the seventh with runners on second and third and one-out. The rally though was clipped short as back-to-back Redhawks batters went down.
Lively began the seven-inning encore with lead-off home run, his first of the season. He scored again in the third on a Mazzone RBI-double, before coming across himself with help from Matt Boissoneault.
Down 9-3 in the fourth, Wells and Kyle Sherick scored on back-to-back plays, trimming the difference four.
The Broncos scored once in the first, second, fifth and sixth, while posting a seven-run third.
Five Redhawks registered hits. including Lively, Boissoneault and Rork who each went 2-for-4, while Mazzone finished 2-for-3 at the dish. Kodama however was 0-for-3, ending a 12-game hit streak.
Brandon Jenkins made his first career start for Seattle U, lasting 1.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Reliever Tyler Yeh (0-1) was charged with loss as he surrendered sixth runs in one-inning of work. Peter Chronowski made a brief appearance, before making way for Kohl Petersen who tossed the final three innings,