Seven Run Sixth Haunts Huskies In 9-3 Loss To Cougars

Friday, May 13

Seattle, WA

7:00 PM

University of Washington

27-17, 0

Washington State

16-28, 0

Washington State

Washington

Photo by: Washington Athletics

May 14, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

SEATTLE – Washington State scored seven times in the sixth inning to turn a 3-1 deficit into an 8-3 advantage and went on beat the Huskies, 9-3, in front of a record-setting crowd for game one of a three-game series Friday night at Husky Ballpark.

A Husky home record crowd of 2,413 saw the 14^th-ranked Huskies (27-17, 13-9 Pac-12) jump to an early lead against their cross-state rival, but they were unable to hold it.

The Huskies scored twice after there were two outs in the second inning to take an early advantage that they would hold until the sixth. Joey Morgan and Duncan Hendrickson led off the inning with back-to-back four-pitch walks. John Naff sacrificed both runners into scoring position, and after WSU starter Damon Jones struck out MJ Hubbs for the second out, left fielder KJ Brady beat out an infield single to first base to score Morgan.

AJ Graffanino followed with a sharp single through the left side of the infield to extend his career-high hit streak to six games and drive in Hendrickson to make the score 2-0.

The Cougars (16-28, 9-16) got a run back in the top half of the third on a balk. Trek Stemp, who led off the innings with a single, was sent home with two outs when the third base umpire called Husky starter Noah Bremer (4-5) for the balk.

The Huskies stretched the lead back to two runs in the fourth scoring on a sacrifice fly. Hendrickson was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved to third on a balk, followed by a single by Naff. Hubbs drove home Hendrickson with a deep fly to center field that made the score 3-1.

But that was the last highlight of the night for the Huskies. Bremer was sailing until the Cougars ruined the sophomore's 20^th birthday and shocked the Huskies by sending 11 men to the plate and scoring seven times to turn the game on its head in the sixth inning.

The Cougars had six hits in the innings and were aided by an error to start the frame and bases loaded walk. The bottom of the order for the Cougars struck the big blows as No. 8 hitter Jack Strunc tied the game on a single and No. 9 hitter Shane Matheny gave his team a two-run lead on a single.

Stremp doubled down the right field line for his third hit of the night to make the score 6-3 and the 10^th man to bat in the inning, Ty Johnson, singled home two more runs to make the score 8-3.

From there, the Cougars turned the game over to their ace reliever Ryan Walker. The sophomore came into the game in the sixth and threw four-scoreless innings to pick up his fourth save of the season.

Colby Nealy (1-2) retired two batters in the fourth inning to pick up the win.

The Cougars added a run in the ninth on a RBI triple from Matheny.

The Cougars outhit the Huskies 13-7. Naff and Levi Jordan each picked up a pair of hits for Washington.

The Huskies and Cougars resume the series Saturday at 4:00 p.m. The game will air on the Pac-12 Networks.

Washington State 8 (15-28, 8-16), #14 Washington 3 (27-16, 13-8),

WSU 001 007 001 –- 9 13 1
UW 020 100 000 –- 3 7 2

LOB: WSU 10, UW 10. Damon Jones, Colby Nealy (5), Ryan Walker (6) and Ty Johnson; Noah Bremer, Alex Nesbitt (6), Will Ballowe (7), Lance Berringer (7), Alex Hardy (9) and Joey Morgan. W – Colby Nealy (1-2). L – Bremer (4-5). SV – Ryan Walker (4). HR – none. 3B – WSU, Shane Matheny. 2B – WSU, Weston Hatten, Trek Stemp; UW, Levi Jordan. Time – 3:21. Attendance – 2,413.