University of Washington
Cal State Northridge
Cheney Leads Huskies To 2-1 Win At Northridge
February 19, 2006 | Baseball
Feb. 19, 2006
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Freshman Tyler Cheney threw seven and two-thirds shutout innings as the Washington baseball team edged Cal State Northridge, 2-1, Sunday. The Huskies (5-1) notched their fifth straight victory, and third in a row over the Matadors, who dropped to 6-6.
Cheney, who allowed only one run over five innings in his first start last Sunday at New Mexico State, picked up his first win vs. the Matadors. He allowed only five hits and no walks while striking out two. The true-freshman left-hander was an all-state pitcher and first baseman last year at 4A state champion Richland High.
"He pitched his game," Husky coach Ken Knutson said of Cheney. "That's his style. He gets a ton of ground balls and makes the hitters put the ball in play. He was outstanding today."
The Matadors got the leadoff hitter aboard in four straight innings during the game, but while Cheney was on the mound, no CSUN runner reached third base.
Washington, hitless through the first three innings, scored the game's first run with two outs in the fourth when senior left fielder Zach Clem belted a towering homer to left, his fourth of the season, to move the UW in front, 1-0.
In the fifth, with junior Curt Rindal on at second via a walk and a groundout, freshman center fielder Brett Kaluza, making his first start as a Husky, came through with a two- out single to drive in a run and increase the lead to 2-0. It was Kaluza's first college hit and one of only two Husky hits on the day.
In the ninth, CSUN's Brett Blumenthal doubled to lead off the inning. After two outs, he scored when Paul Wilson blooped a double to shallow center field. However, after a walk put the winning run at first, Husky closer Elliott Cribby struck out Alex Bardequez to end the game and claim his third save of the season.
Northridge starter Chuckie Fick (1-3) gave up only two hits over six innings in the loss. Matadors reliever Bobby Paschal held the Huskies hitless in three innings.
Blumenthal led both teams with three hits in four at bats, the only multi-hit performance of the day.
The Huskies and Matadors close out the four-game series Monday at 1:00 p.m. A live audio broadcast will air on the Dawg Channel at gohuskies.com.
LINESCORE Non-Conference Washington 2, CS Northridge 0 Washington 000 110 000 -- 2 2 1 CS Northridge 000 000 001 -- 1 7 0 Tyler Cheney, Elliott Cribby (8) and Matt Lane. Chuckie Fick, Bobby Paschal (7) and John Parham. W - Cheney (1-0). L - Fick (1-3). Sv - Cribby (3). 2B - CSUN, Brett Blumenthal, Paul Wilson. HR - UW, Zach Clem (4). T - 2:27. A - 213.
