UW Offense Erupts To Ensure Best Start Since 1999

Monday, February 16

Stockton, CA

1:00 PM

University of Washington

Pacific

February 17, 2015 | Baseball

By: Washington Athletics

STOCKTON, Calif. – The Husky Baseball team beat Pacific 12-1 Monday afternoon in Stockton, Calif. to sweep the season-opening series and start the year 4-0 for the first time since 1999.

The Huskies outhit Pacific, 17-5, the third-straight game they have reached double digits. Every starter had at least one hit – six had two or more – led by Braden Bishop's three despite being pulled out of the lineup early. Bishop was 7 for 16 in the series (.438) with five runs scored, four doubles and four RBI.

Five Husky pitchers were the beneficiaries of a six-run offensive outburst in the second inning that blew the game wide open. The Huskies sent 11 batters to the plate, pounded out five hits and were the benefactors of two errors during the inning.

Will Sparks, who had two hits during the second inning, led off with a single. Josh Cushing was hit by a pitch to set up a sacrifice situation for the No. 8 hitter Chris Baker. The sophomore shortstop laid down a bunt that the pitcher Sean Bennetts fell down while trying to field. Bennetts tried to get Sparks at third, but instead threw the ball down the left-field line allowing Sparks to score and moving everyone up a base.

Freshman Levi Jordan followed with a RBI infield single – his fifth hit of the series – and was able to take second when the first baseman threw the ball away, also allowing Baker to score. Bishop sent Jordan home on a RBI single, and the rout was officially on.

Bishop eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Branden Berry and Sparks capped the scoring with a RBI double.

In the first inning, the Huskies wasted no time in getting ahead of the Tigers. Bishop led off the game with a double and after a Jack Meggs sacrifice moved him to third, Bishop trotted home on a double by catcher Austin Rei. It was Rei's third extra-base hit of the series.

UW starter Henry Baker did not get much of a chance to enjoy the lead as he lasted only 1/3 of an inning. He hit the first batter he faced, retired the next hitter on a fly out, but then missed on his next eight pitches to load the bases. Redshirt-freshman Alex Hardy stepped in with limited warm up time and got a strikeout and fly out to preserve the lead.

The Huskies' offense kept piling it on in the third inning. With two outs, Bishop hit his second double of the game and Meggs sent him home one batter later on a base hit down the left-field line.

Washington added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings and a pair of runs in the ninth. Berry hit a RBI double in the fifth and pinch-runner Nyles Nygaard scored on a wild pitch in the sixth. In the ninth, Alex Schmidt hit a double to centerfield that scored Joey Morgan, who came in as a defensive replacement earlier and had two base hits on the day. Schmidt eventually scored on a groundout by freshman Shane Olson.

Pacific got on the board in the eighth inning to snap a streak of 17-straight scoreless innings. All-American Gio Brosa hit a sun-aided double that third baseman Schmidt dropped. Brosa came all the way around to score when Schmidt's throw to second sailed into the outfield.

Hardy threw 1 and 2/3 innings of relief to pick up his first career win. Alex Nesbitt threw three innings of no-hit ball, followed by two innings of scoreless relief from Ryan Schmitten. Bremer allowed the one double and an unearned run over the final two innings.

The Huskies, who outscored Pacific 28-7 in the series, have a quick turnaround. They come home this evening and hit the road Wednesday for the four-game Pac-12/Big 12 Tournament starting Thursday in Mesa, Ariz. Washington opens the tournament Thursday against Kansas at 12 p.m. PT.

With one more win the Huskies can get off to their fastest start since beginning the 1994 season 10-0.

Washington 12, Pacific 1

WASH 161 011 012 –- 12 11 2
PAC 000 000 010 –- 1 6 2

LOB: UW 13, UP 9. Henry Baker, Alex Hardy (1), Alex Nesbitt (3), Ryan Schmitten (6), Noah Bremer (8) and Austin Rei, Joey Morgan (5). Sean Bennetts, Mike Hager (2), Justin Giovannoni (4), Vince Arobio (5), Taylor Johnson (7), John Jaeger (8) and JP Yakel, Dallas Correa (6). W – Hardy (1-0). L – Bennetts (0-1). Sv – none. HR – none. 3B – none. 2B – UW, Braden Bishop (2), Austin Rei, Will Sparks, Branden Berry, Chris Baker, Alex Schmidt; UP, Gio Brosa. Time – 3:07. Attendance – 902.