Huskies Shutout Gonzaga, 2-0, Behind Surprise Starter Nesbitt

Tuesday, March 29

Seattle, WA

5:00 PM

University of Washington

13-8

Gonzaga

13-10

Gonzaga

Washington

Photo by: Washington Athletics

Huskies Shutout Gonzaga, 2-0, Behind Surprise Starter Nesbitt

March 30, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

SEATTLE – Josh Cushing and AJ Graffanino powered the offense and three Husky pitchers combined to shutout Gonzaga, 2-0, Tuesday at Husky Ballpark.

Cushing homered and Graffanino singled in the other run as Washington (13-8) had just five hits on the evening. But, Gonzaga's bats were stifled and held to five hits also, as surprise Husky starter Channing Nesbitt set the tone for game.

Nesbitt, a sophomore left-hander from Oakland, Calif., got his first career start and made just his second collegiate appearance. He found out this morning that he was getting the call on the mound and he responded by giving the Huskies a much needed lift.

“I think it helped me stay calm,” said Nesbitt (1-0) on finding out this morning he would start tonight. “I like being cool and collected. Finding out late helped me stay in the same mind frame I woke up with today.”

He breezed through five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits, two walks and striking out one batter. He earned his first career win.

Nesbitt was lifted in the sixth inning after he hit lead-off hitter Dustin Breshears with a pitch, but reliever Lance Berringer got the next batter Taylor Jones to ground into an around-the-horn 5-4-3 double play.

Berringer allowed a hit in two innings of work and struck out one.

Troy Rallings came in to the game in the eighth and threw the final two innings, allowing one hit, to pick up his sixth save of the season – the 21^st of his career. His appearance was the 79^th of his career and moved him to third all-time on UW's list for most appearances.

The offense mustered just enough offense to get the Huskies the win over the Bulldogs (13-10), who won Monday's game 8-6 in 11 innings.

UW was hitless until Cushing took a 3-1 pitch from Gonzaga starter Eli Thornquist (0-1) off the right-field foul pole with one out in the fourth inning for a solo blast. It was Cushing's team-leading fifth homer of the season and 22^nd RBI.

Washington played add-on in the seventh inning, scoring a run to extend its lead to 2-0. Joey Morgan doubled to lead off the inning – his second hit of the game – and Kyle London sacrificed him to third. Freshman shortstop Graffanino capitalized and sent Morgan home with a RBI single to center field.

Morgan's two hits paced the Huskies' attack, while Gonzaga's Jones had two hits to lead his team.

The Huskies pack their bags and head to Corvallis, Ore., for a three-game series with Oregon State, Friday through Sunday. All three games will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks.

Washington 2 (13-8), Gonzaga 0 (13-10)

GONZ 000 000 000 –- 0 5 0
WASH 000 100 10x –- 2 5 0

LOB: GU 4, UW 6. Eli Thornquist, Sam Hellinger (5), Justin Blatner (8) and Jimmy Sinatro; Channing Nesbitt, Lance Berringer (6), Troy Rallings (8) and Joey Morgan. W – Nesbitt (1-0). L – Thornquist (0-1). SV – Rallings (6). HR – Josh Cushing (5). 3B – none. 2B – GU, Branson Trube; UW, Joey Morgan. Time – 2:36. Attendance – 754.