University of Washington
UCLA
Lincecum Fans 18 In 5-0 Shutout Over UCLA
March 31, 2006 | Baseball
March 31, 2006
SEATTLE - Junior Tim Lincecum struck out a career-high 18 batters in a complete- game, two-hit shutout as the Washington baseball team opened a Pac-10 series vs. UCLA with a 5-0 win Friday night at Husky Ballpark.
Husky junior Curt Rindal increased his hitting streak to 18 games with a double and a home run in three at bats. Washington improved to 19-10 overall and 2-2 in Pac-10 play while UCLA dropped to 15-12 and 0-1.
Lincecum (6-2), a right-hander from Renton's Liberty High, no-hit the Bruins through five and one-third innings and walked only one. Over his last 32 innings, Lincecum has allowed only 10 hits and one earned run while striking out 44. His old career-best for strikeouts was 15, set in 2004 and matched earlier this year.
The Bruins didn't manage a hit until a one-out bunt single from catcher Ryan Babineau in the sixth inning and didn't get a ball out of the infield until a long flyout from Sean Smith to open the eighth. Babineau, the ninth hitter in the order, notched the only other UCLA hit with a clean single to right with two out in the eighth.
Lincecum struck out the first seven UCLA batters in order before a pair of groundouts for the second and third outs in the third. He struck out three in an inning in the first, second and seventh. The numbers three through six hitters in the UCLA finished the game a combined 0-for-13 with 12 strikeouts.
Bruins starter Hector Ambriz (4-4) took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits over seven-plus innings of work. He walked five and struck out nine.
Washington took a lead with a run in the second, but had a chance for more. With two aboard, freshman right fielder Kyle Conley singled to drive in Rindal. However, the Huskies had a good opportunity for a big inning with runners at second and third an no outs. However, Ambriz struck out Matt Stevens and, after a hit batter loaded the bases, a double play ended the threat.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Huskies broke through with three runs. After a Bradley Boyer double opened the inning, Matt Lane singled to right for one. Rindal, the Huskies' first baseman from Mt. Vernon, followed with a long home run to left, his fifth of the season, to stake Lincecum with a 4-0 lead.
In the eighth, Lane reached on an error and eventually scored from third on a wild pitch to cap the Huskies' scoring.
The series continues with a 2:00 p.m. game Saturday and a 1:00 p.m. start Sunday. Both will air live on radio on KKNW AM-1150.
LINESCORE Pac-10 Conference Game Washington 5, UCLA 0 UCLA 000 000 000 -- 0 2 1 Washington 010 003 01x -- 5 7 1 Hector Ambriz, Daniel Miltenberger (8) and Ryan Babineau. Tim Lincecum and Matt Lane. W - Lincecum (6-2). L - Ambriz (4-4). 2B - UW, Curt Rindal, Bradley Boyer. HR - UW, Rindal (5). T - 2:28. A - 665.
