University of Washington
Portland
Huskies Shut Out Pilots, 6-0, In Home Opener
February 26, 2015 | Baseball
SEATTLE – The Husky baseball team jumped out to an early lead and four Huskies' pitchers made it stand up, holding Portland to three hits and striking out 10 in a 6-0 win Wednesday night in the home opener at Husky Ballpark.
The Huskies' offense only produced five hits of their own on the night, but they made them count. Jack Meggs was the lone Husky hitter to record multiple hits – his team-best fifth multi-hit game – going 2 for 4 at the plate with a RBI and run.
Braden Bishop was 1 for 3 with two RBI and two stolen bases.
The Dawgs (6-3) jumped ahead of the Pilots (2-9) in the first inning, without the benefit of a hit. Meggs drew a one-out walk from Portland starter Jordan Horak, advanced to second on an errant pick-off throw and took third on a fly out by Bishop. Branden Berry hit a ground ball to shortstop Michael Lucarelli that should have been the third out, but Lucarelli bobbled the ball and then threw it low. First baseman Davis Tominaga was unable to dig the ball out of the dirt allowing Berry to safely reach first and Meggs to score.
Washington added three more runs in the second inning and chased Horak (0-1) from the game. After two walks and a hit batter, Meggs hit a one-out single that drove home one run and Bishop, returning to the lineup after missing the past two games with a stiff neck, followed with a two-run single to make the score 4-0.
Huskies' starter Noah Bremer – making the start in consecutive games after getting the nod on Sunday versus Oklahoma State – did not figure in the decision after pitching four strong innings, not allowing a run and giving up just a harmless two-out single.
Brandon Choate (1-1) picked up the win for the Huskies, throwing three innings of outstanding relief. He struck out the first six batters he faced and allowed just a two-out single in the seventh inning.
The Huskies added another run in the seventh, solely thanks to the legs of Bishop. The reigning Pac-12 stolen bases leader was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. After he stole second and then third, Bishop was driven home on a shallow sacrifice fly to right field by cleanup hitter Alex Schmidt.
Kyle London capped the scoring and made it 6-0 in the eighth with an two-out RBI single. Chris Baker led off the inning with a RBI single, was sacrificed to second, and after a fly out, came around to score on London's hit to center.
Spencer Jones pitched the eighth and ninth innings to close out the game. He allowed one hit and struck out three.
The Huskies continue their nine-game home stand Friday when they open a four-game series against North Dakota. The Huskies will send right-hander Troy Rallings (1-0, 5.40) to the hill against righty Brett DeGagne (0-0, 15.43).
Washington 6, Portland 0
UP 000 000 000 –- 0 3 2
UW 130 000 11x –- 6 6 0
LOB: UP 6, UW 8. Noah Bremer, Will Ballowe (4), Brandon Choate (4), Spencer Jones (8) and Joey Morgan. Jordan Horak, Jordan Wilcox (2), Kody Watts (7), Davis Tominaga (8) and Brady Kerr. W –Choate (1-1). L – Horak (0-1). Sv – none. HR – none. 3B – none. 2B – none. Time – 2:26. Attendance – 660.
