University of Washington
Pacific
Huskies Off To Best Start Since 2002 After Shutting Out Pacific, 4-0
February 16, 2015 | Baseball
STOCKTON, Calif. – Husky pitchers Joshua Fredendall and Spencer Jones combined to shutout Pacific in a 4-0 win Sunday at Klein Field in Stockton, Calif.
Washington clinched the series after winning the first three of the four game set. It is the Huskies first 3-0 start since 2002.
Fredendall (1-0), who pitched in his first college game since May 20, 2012 after missing the last two seasons with a right-arm injury, threw 73 pitches over five innings to earn his first win since April 12, 2012. The sixth-year senior allowed seven hits, struck out two batters and walked one in his first UW start before giving way to Jones.
Jones, a junior college transfer making his Huskies' debut, allowed the first two batters he faced to reach via hits in the sixth before retiring the next 12 batters to earn the save.
Pacific (0-3) had plenty of chances to get to both Fredendall and Jones, but came up empty three different innings despite having runners in scoring position with less than two outs. Washington squandered plenty of great scoring opportunities, but was able to capitalize more on their opportunities and the Tigers' four errors.
The Huskies jumped on starter Cory Popham (0-1) right out of the gate. Braden Bishop led off the game with a double to right, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple. It proved to cost the Huskies a run as Jack Meggs followed with a walk and Austin Rei delivered a double to left that scored Meggs after the left fielder McKay Kossian bobbled the ball.
Popham, who like Fredendall is coming off Tommy John surgery to his right arm, escaped further damage when he got clean-up hitter Alex Schmidt to bounce out to the mound and struck out Josh Cushing to end the inning.
Fredendall got off to a shaky start himself in the first inning allowing the first two batters to reach on singles to put runners on the corners. The 23-year-old was able to wiggle out of the inning unscathed though after No. 3 hitter Brett Sullivan smashed a hit toward the hole that nailed the baserunner at first for an out, and cleanup hitter JJ Yakel lined in to an inning-ending double play to first base.
Washington tacked on another run in the third after Rei collected a RBI by singling home Meggs, who led off with a double and took third on a wild pitch. After a fielder's choice and an error, the Huskies threatened to add more, but Cushing flared into a pop double play with the runners on first and second moving.
Meggs collected his second hit of the game and drove home Bishop to make it 3-0 in the seventh. Bishop reached on a fielder's choice that saw Levi Jordan thrown out at home trying to score from third on a ground ball to shortstop against a drawn-in infield. Bishop stole second and came around to score on Meggs' two-out hit.
The Huskies added an unearned insurance run in the eighth to put the game out of reach. With two outs, Cushing doubled down the left-field line for his second hit of the game. He came around to score on a Chris Baker single to left, but Cushing was only safe after catcher Yakel dropped the ball trying to tag him out at home.
Washington outhit Pacific 10-9. The Huskies had five doubles, while Pacific was held to all singles.
The Huskies top of the order – Bishop, Meggs and Rei – combined to go 6 for 13 at the plate with three runs and two RBI. Each had two hits.
Cushing also had two hits for the Huskies.
The Huskies will attempt to sweep the four-game series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Washington will try to start the season 4-0 for the first time since 1999.
Sophomore left-hander Henry Baker is scheduled to make the start against right-hander Sean Bennetts.
Washington 4, Pacific 0
WASH 101 000 110 –- 4 10 0
PAC 000 000 000 –- 0 9 4
LOB: UW 7, UP 7. Joshua Fredendall, Spencer Jones (6) and Austin Rei. Cory Popham, Mike Benson (5) and JP Yakel. W – Fredendall (1-0). L – Popham (0-1). Sv – Jones (1). HR – none. 3B – none. 2B – UW, Braden Bishop, Austin Rei, Jack Meggs, Josh Cushing, Levi Jordan. Time – 2:00. Attendance – 648.
