University of Washington
Arizona State
Huskies Hold On For 4-2 Win Over ASU
April 09, 2016 | Baseball
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Levi Jordan drove in two runs for the third-straight game and Noah Bremer threw 5 2/3 solid innings to carry Washington to a 4-2 win over Arizona State in the opening game of a three-game series at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Washington (15-10, 6-4 Pac-12) scored twice in the second and two more times in the fifth and had 11 total hits to give Coach Lindsay Meggs the 799th win of his 22-year career. Four Husky pitchers limited Arizona State (16-11, 3-7) to four hits on the night.
The Huskies threatened early in the game and came away empty-handed in the first inning, but they would not be denied in the second inning. John Naff led off the inning with a walk and Peoria, Ariz. native AJ Graffanino drove him home two outs later on a triple down the right-field line. Lead-off hitter KJ Brady followed with a double that neither the shortstop or left fielder could catch and the Huskies gave starter Bremer a 2-0 lead to work with.
Washington added a pair of unearned runs in the fifth to make it 4-0. Jordan delivered a bases-loaded, two-out double into the left-center gap that scored Joey Morgan, who reached on an error, and Naff, who singled.
The hit also sent Arizona State starter Seth Martinez (4-3), who came into the game with a sparkling 1.60 ERA to the showers. Martinez allowed season-highs of four runs – two earned – and four walks, while giving up eight hits – one shy of his season high.
Meanwhile, Martinez's counterpart Bremer (4-1) was cruising along, throwing five shutout innings before finding trouble in the sixth inning. He allowed a lead-off single to Andrew Snow before retiring the next two hitters of the inning, but Andrew Shaps tripled into the right-center gap to score a run. Shaps scored one batter later when Brian Severn reached on a throwing error by the shortstop Graffanino.
Arizona State continued the inning by loading the bases on back-to-back walks, forcing Bremer out of the game. Reliever Greg Minier came in and was able to get out of the jam, making a spinning, no-look, behind-the-back stop on a grounder to the mound by pinch-hitter Sebastian Zawada. He gathered himself and fired to first in time to retire the side and keep the Huskies' 4-2 advantage intact.
Bremer, who was coming off the toughest outing of his career last weekend at Oregon State, rebounded nicely against the Sun Devils. He allowed two runs – one earned – struck out six and surrendered just four hits.
Spencer Jones pitched the seventh inning before turning the ball over to UW closer Troy Rallings. The senior pitched a perfect eighth and allowed a base runner in the ninth, but that runner was wiped out on a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.
Rallings picked up his seventh save of the year – the 22nd of his career.
Gage Matuszak (3 for 5), Brady (2 for 5) and Jordan (2 for 4) had multiple hits for the Huskies' offense.
The Huskies and Sun Devils play game two of the series Saturday at 3:30 p.m. PT (Pac-12 Networks). The Huskies will send right-handed freshman Joe DeMers (2-1, 4.62) against ASU RHP Ryan Hingst (3-1, 1.91).
Washington 4 (15-10, 6-4), Arizona State 2 (16-11, 3-7)
WASH 020 020 000 –- 4 11 2
ASU 000 002 000 –- 2 4 2
LOB: UW 11, ASU 7. Noah Bremer, Greg Minier (6), Spencer Jones (7), Troy Rallings (8) and Joey Morgan; Seth Martinez, Eli Lingos (5) and Brian Severn. W – Bremer (4-1). L – Martinez (4-3). SV – Rallings (7). HR – none. 3B – UW, AJ Graffanino; ASU, Andrew Shaps. 2B – UW, KJ Brady, Levi Jordan, MJ Hubbs; ASU, Jeremy McCuin. Time – 3:00. Attendance – 2,480.
