University of Washington
California
Cal Rides Eighth Inning Homer For 3-2 Win Over UW
March 21, 2015 | Baseball
SEATTLE – California third baseman Lucas Erceg hit a solo home run in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 deadlock, and two Bears' pitchers made the lead stand up as Washington lost 3-2 Friday night at Husky Ballpark.
With one out, Erceg took the first pitch he saw from UW reliever Spencer Jones (2-3) over the right field fence for the difference maker. It was the Bears' 19th long ball of the season, which ranks second among Pac-12 teams.
Cal (16-5, 3-1 Pac-12) pitchers Chris Muse-Fisher and Dylan Nelson pitched the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, to slam the door shut and ruin the Pac-12 home opener for the Huskies (13-9, 1-4). Muse-Fisher (2-1) earned the win, while Nelson hammered down his third save for the Bears.
Freshman starter Noah Bremer – who hails from Berkeley – was in an early 1-0 deficit against his hometown school when the Bears scored in the first inning. Freshman cleanup hitter Brett Cumberland hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Aaron Knapp, who singled with one out and moved to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Erceg.
Cal scored again in the second to make it 2-0. No. 9 hitter Preston Grand Pre hit a two-out triple to score Denis Karas, who reached after being hit by a pitch.
The Huskies tied it up with two runs in the fourth on a clutch, two-out, bases-loaded hit by Levi Jordan. After Cal starter Jeff Bain retired the first two Huskies, designated hitter Will Sparks and shortstop Chris Baker reached on back-to-back singles. Catcher Joey Morgan was hit to load the bases for the Huskies' freshman second baseman. Jordan laced a 3-1 pitch from Bain into left-center that easily scored Sparks and Baker, but Jordan was thrown out at second trying to stretch his single into a double.
That proved to be all the offense the Huskies could muster on a showery evening at the ballpark. The Huskies had runners on base in all but one inning, including the go-ahead run on third in the sixth and the tying run on second in the ninth. But, every time except the fourth inning, Cal's pitchers were able to pitch out of jams.
Bremer turned in another stellar start. He went six innings, allowed five hits, struck out two and did not walk a batter in his 79-pitch outing.
Baker was the only Husky hitter with multiple hits, collecting a career-high equaling three for the second-consecutive game.
The Huskies and Bears continue the series Saturday, with the a battle of staff aces. UW's Tyler Davis (3-1, 2.86) and Ryan Mason (3-0, 2.61) will face each other in what should be an excellent pitcher's duel tomorrow, starting at 2:00 p.m.
California 3, Washington 2
CAL 110 000 010 –- 3 8 2
WASH 000 200 000 –- 2 7 0
LOB: CAL 6, UW 8. Noah Bremer, Brandon Choate (7), Spencer Jones (8) and Joey Morgan; Jeff Bain, Chris Muse-Fisher (7), Dylan Nelson (9) and Brett Cumberland. W – Muse-Fisher (2-1). L – Jones (2-3). Sv – Nelson (3). HR – CAL, Lucas Erceg (4). 3B – CAL, Preston Grand Pre. 2B - CAL, Max Dutto; UW, Jack Meggs. Time – 2:31. Attendance – 617.
