University of Washington
Evansville
Huskies Fall To Evansville, 5-4
February 27, 2005 | Baseball
Feb. 27, 2005
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Evansville fought back from a 4-2 deficit to win, 5-4, as the No. 19 Washington baseball team was unable to manage a hit over the final five innings Sunday in the two teams' second game at the Dominos Pizza Aggie Baseball Classic.
The loss dropped the Huskies' record to 2-6 on the season while Evansville improved to 8-1.
Evansville senior lefty Michael Greenhouse (3-0) picked up the win with a five-inning outing. After giving up four runs in the second, he retired the final 11 UW batters he faced. Reliever Mark Murray earned his fifth save of the year, facing the minimum over the last two innings of the seven-inning game.
In the first, Evansville got it started with a walk to Kern Watts and a single from Eric Jones to put two runners aboard with no outs. A groundout and a foul pop left runners at second and third with two down and the UW looked to be out of the jam when Jeff Fontaine flied a ball to left. However, UW left fielder Zach Clem misjudged the ball and it dropped, allowing both runners to come home.
The Huskies loaded the bases on two singles and a hit batter to open the second inning. Shortstop Brent Lillibridge, dropped from first to seventh in the batting order after struggling at the plate, took advantage, drilling a double to the left-center gap, scoring all three runs. Freshman catcher Joey Dunn followed with a single to send home Lillibridge, giving the UW a 4-2 lead.
The Purple Aces answered with a run in the third as Jones scored on a single from first baseman Erik Lis.
While the Huskies were retired in order in third, fourth and fifth innings, Evansville mounted a comeback in the sixth. With two on base and one out, Josh Conover came on in relief of starter Matt Kasser. Conover's first pitch to Robbie Minor was hit up the middle, driving in a run to tie the score at 4-4.
The next hitter, Joe Tautges, followed with a ground ball to first. With Fontaine coming from third, Kyle Larsen's throw home looked to be in time. Fontaine, however, was ruled safe at the plate, giving the Aces a 5-4 and resulting in heated argument from UW coach Ken Knutson. Knutson was subsequently ejected later in the sixth, arguing another tag play on a stolen base at second.
In the seventh, Larsen walked to lead off, but the game ended when Lillibridge grounded into a double play.
Kasser (1-2) suffered the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits over five and one-third.
The Huskies take on No. 11 Texas A&M Sunday evening at 8:00 p.m. CST (6:00 p.m. PST) and then play a doubleheader against San Diego Monday, beginning at 10:00 a.m. CST (8:00 a.m. PST).
LINESCORE Dominos Pizza Aggie Baseball Classic Evansville 5, #19 Washington 4 Evansville 201 002 0 -- 5 6 0 Washington 040 000 0 -- 4 5 3 Michael Greenhouse, Mark Murray (6) and Dustin Knight. Matt Kasser, Josh Conover (6) and Joey Dunn. W - Greenhouse (3-0). L - Kasser (1- 2). Sv - Hunter (5). 2B - UW ,Brent Lillibridge. T - 2:01. A - 379.
