Huskies Ride Rallings' Arm, Timely Hitting To Series Win Over Cal

Sunday, May 1

Berkeley, CA

1:00 PM

University of Washington

25-15, 11-7

California

24-16, 10-11

Washington

California

Photo by: Washington Athletics

Huskies Ride Rallings' Arm, Timely Hitting To Series Win Over Cal

May 02, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

BERKELEY, Calif. – All season long in the toughest jams and most important situations, Washington Coach Lindsay Meggs has been able to turn to his senior closer Troy Rallings to save the day. Sunday at Evans Field in Berkeley, Calif. Meggs turned to his ace out of the bullpen in the sixth inning and once again, Rallings came through for his team and ultimately helped the Huskies to a 7-4 win over California.

With a runner on second and one out in the sixth, Rallings got the call from the bullpen and was asked to hold a 4-3 lead. He got the next two batters in the sixth and then the final nine outs of the game to pick up his Pac-12-leading 14^th save and secure the 2-1 series win for the Huskies.

The Huskies (25-15, 11-7 Pac-12) added an insurance run in the seventh and two more in the ninth, which proved to be important as Cal (24-16, 9-11) had the potential go-ahead run at the plate in the ninth.

The Bears loaded the bases with nobody out and had already pushed an unearned run across the plate in the final frame before Rallings buckled down. Cal's lead-off batter reached on an error and then the Bears strung together three-consecutive singles to start the inning. But, Rallings retired the No.'s 2-4 hitters in Cal's lineup on a line out, strike out and fielder's choice to slam the door shut and secure the win for the Huskies.

For Rallings, the 11-out save was his longest of the year and his third of more than three innings this season. It was his third save this the week – all of which secured victories for reliever Alex Nesbitt (5-2). Rallings' Pac-12-leading earned run average drop to 0.68.

After the game, Rallings deferred the attention towards the entire team. The Huskies won their 10th series of the season and cut Utah's first-place lead to one-half game.

“If no one cares who gets the credit, we can accomplish anything,” an exhausted Rallings said.

Coach Meggs echoed Rallings' sentiments.

"Our guys really showed some toughness," he said. "Cal is a very talented team and they made us earn everything for 27 innings. I'm proud of the way we hung together and the way we answered every time they threw a punch.

"It was a really good weekend for us and I'm proud of our guys."

While the pitching was stellar, the offense also chipped in for the victory. The Huskies hammered out 11 hits on the day and had runners in scoring position in all but two innings.

The Huskies jumped to the quick 1-0 lead against Cal starter Matt Ladrech in the second, scoring on a sacrifice fly by sophomore KJ Brady. MJ Hubbs led off the inning with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Brady's fly ball to center field.

They tacked on two more runs after two outs in the third to take a three-run lead. Joey Morgan drove in the first run on a RBI single, and Hubbs followed with his second double of the game, this one scoring Morgan all the way from first.

The Huskies' advantage was short-lived as Cal answered with three runs in the third, all coming on one swing of the bat. Catcher Brett Cumberland, the Pac-12's leading home run hitter, took a 3-2 pitch from UW starter Greg Minier deep over the left field wall for a three-run blast and his 12^th home run of the season.

With a new ballgame, Cal went to its bullpen and right-hander Joey Matulovich (0-1). Washington's offense picked up where it left off in the previous two innings, using small ball to jump back ahead, this time for good, 4-3. Josh Cushing led off the fourth with a walk and was sacrificed over to second by Brady. AJ Graffanino made the strategy pay off with a single down the right field line to pick up his eighth RBI of the season.

Neither starting pitcher made it through four full innings as both offenses put on early pressure in the series-deciding game. Minier lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and striking out three.

Nesbitt and Will Ballowe each threw a scoreless inning before the Huskies' fate was turned over to Rallings in the sixth.

Washington extended its lead to 5-3 in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by John Naff and tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the ninth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Gage Matuszak hit a tapper back to the mound that the pitcher Jeff Bain misplayed, allowing the final two runs for the Huskies to cross the plate.

Morgan (3 for 4, RBI) led the offense with three hits and Hubbs (2 for 4, 2 runs, 2 doubles) was the only other Husky with multiple hits.

The Huskies return to action next Friday for a three-game series against the USC Trojans down in Los Angeles.

Washington 7 (25-15, 11-7), California 4 (24-16, 10-11)

UW 012 100 102 –- 7 11 1
CAL 003 000 001 –- 4 10 1

LOB: UW 10, CAL 9. Greg Minier, Alex Nesbitt (4), Will Ballowe (5), Troy Rallings (6) and Joey Morgan; Matt Ladrech, Joey Matulovich (4), Keaton Siomkin (4), Akaash Agarwal (7), Jeff Bain (7) and Brett Cumberland. W – Nesbitt (5-2). L – Matulovich (0-1). SV – Rallings (14). HR – CAL, Brett Cumberland (12). 3B – none. 2B – UW, MJ Hubbs (2). Time – 3:30. Attendance – 1,211.