University of Washington
Arizona State
ASU Edges Huskies, 2-1, To Avoid Sweep
May 22, 2005 | Baseball
May 22, 2005
SEATTLE - The Washington baseball team's chances of making the NCAA tournament took a hit Sunday as Arizona State avoided a series sweep with a 2-1 win over the Huskies in the final game of a three-game, Pac-10 series at Husky Ballpark.
The UW (30-22 overall, 9-12 in the Pac-10) can no longer finish above .500 in conference play with only three games remaining. Since the 1999 merger of the conference's two divisions, no Pac-10 team with a 13-11 or better league record has ever been left out of the NCAA tournament field. However, teams that finish 12-12 can only be considered "bubble" teams as some make it and some don't. No Pac-10 team with a record under .500 has ever made the tournament.
ASU (31-22, 12-9) and the Huskies each managed only four hits in the game and runs were scarce. Sun Devils starter Seth Garrison lasted only two-plus innings, allowing the one Husky run, and reliever Brett Bordes threw two no-hit innings for the victory.
Pat Bresnehan, who had retired 11 straight UW hitters before allowing a one-out single in the ninth, earned the save.
UW sophomore Kyle Parker (7-7) gave up two runs on only three hits over seven innings, but was hurt by eight walks in the loss.
Washington scored the game's first run in unusual fashion. In the third, Brent Lillibridge and Matt Hague walked to begin the inning. On a double steal attempt, Hague was thrown out trying at second, but Lillibridge made it safely to third. Zach Clem followed with a groundout to short, allowing Lillibridge to score.
In the fourth, ASU went on top with a pair of runs. With two outs and no runners on, Willy Fox, J.J. Sferra and Andrew Romine, the Devils' bottom three hitters in the order, walked to load the bases. Leadoff man Seth Dhaenens followed with a single through the left side, driving in Fox and Sferra to give ASU a 2-1 lead.
Washington closes out the regular season next weekend in a three-game series at UCLA. Audio of all three games will air live over the internet at gohuskies.com.
LINESCORE Pac-10 Conference #17 Arizona State 2, Washington 1 Arizona St. 000 200 000 -- 2 4 0 Washington 001 000 000 -- 1 4 2 Seth Garrison, Brett Bordes (3), Pat Bresnehan (9) and Tuffy Gosewisch. Kyle Parker, Brandon McKerney (8) and D.J. Neyens. W - Bresnehan (4-4). L - Parker (7-7). T - 3:01. A - 642.
