Huskies Rally Late To Beat Cardinal, 4-3

Friday, May 20

Seattle, WA

5:00 PM

University of Washington

30-18, 0

Stanford

27-22, 0

Stanford

Washington

Photo by: Washington Athletics

May 21, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Washington Athletics

**GAME TIME ALERT** Saturday's first pitch is now 1:00 p.m.

SEATTLE – MJ Hubbs hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to score Chris Baker and cap a furious rally as the Huskies beat Stanford, 4-3, Friday night at Husky Ballpark in the first game of a pivotal three-game series.

The Huskies (30-18, 15-10 Pac-12), who trailed at one point 3-1, scored a run in the eighth to tie the game and set the stage for the dramatic ninth inning.

Baker started the ninth inning with a one-out single – his fourth hit of the game. John Naff and Willie MacIver walked to load the bases and set the stage for Hubbs' sacrifice fly.

Hubbs, who was pinch hitting, lifted a 1-2 pitch from Colton Hock (4-5) into deep right-center that easily scored Baker from third. The run set off a wild celebration up the first-base line where his teammate mobbed Hubbs.

“He threw me an elevated curve ball and I got a good piece of it,” said Hubbs. “I was able to drive (Baker) in and fortunately we won the game.”

The win allowed the Huskies to keep pace with idle Utah in the Pac-12 standings. The Huskies are half of a game behind the Utes, who open a three-game series at California on Saturday.

Washington pitchers held Stanford (27-22, 11-14) to just four hits, but three of them were solo home runs off starter Noah Bremer.

Troy Rallings (4-1) replaced Greg Minier, who did not allow a runner to reach in 2 1/3 innings, and retired the final two batters of the ninth inning to pick up his fourth win of the season.

The Huskies jumped ahead of the Cardinal early, scoring a single run in the first inning, but they wasted a pair of chances to score more. Kyle London started the first with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Jack Meggs – the nation's leader with 19 on the season. Baker made the small-ball strategy pay off by singling up the middle, easily scoring London and giving the Huskies a 1-0 lead.

The Huskies went on to load the bases in the first, but Stanford starter Tristan Beck wiggled out of the jam by getting Duncan Hendrickson to line out and struck out KJ Brady to end the threat. UW threatened again in the second, but again came up empty when London popped up a squeeze bunt attempt to the catcher and Levi Jordan was doubled off of third on the play.

In the top of the third, Stanford hit a pair of solo home runs off Bremer to take the 2-1 lead. Third baseman Mikey Dierkroeger led off the inning with a solo blast to center field and catcher Bryce Carter lifted a home run just out of the reach of a jumping London in right field.

Stanford jumped ahead 3-1 in the sixth inning on another solo home run, this time by Matt Winaker, before the Huskies finally got in on the home-run parade in the bottom of the inning.

John Naff went deep to center field on a 1-1 pitch from Beck for a one-out solo home run. It was his fourth homer of the season and the Huskies' 30^th of the season.

The Huskies tied things up in the eighth, scoring a run on a base hit by Brady. Joey Morgan started the inning with a walk. He was pinch ran for by Josh Cushing, who stole second and came around to score on Brady's single.

The Huskies pounded out 11 hits. Baker (4 for 5, RBI) led the way with a career-high four hits, while Naff (2 for 3, HR) and Jordan (2 for 4, 2B) chipped in with a pair of hits each.

The Huskies and Cardinal continue the series Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch. Sunday's series finale has been moved up to noon. Both games were moved up from their originally scheduled times.

No. 17 Washington 4 (30-18, 15-10), Stanford 3 (27-22, 11-14)

STAN 002 001 000 –- 3 4 1
WASH 100 001 011 –- 4 11 1

LOB: STAN 3, UW 12. Tristan Beck, Colton Hock (6) and Bryce Carter; Noah Bremer, Greg Minier (7), Troy Rallings (9) and Joey Morgan. W – Rallings (4-1). L – Hock (4-5). SV – none. HR – Mikey Diekroeger (3), Bryce Carter (1), Matt Winaker (1); UW, John Naff (4). 3B – none. 2B – STAN, Quinn Brodey; UW, Levi Jordan, Joey Morgan. Time – 3:58. Attendance – 708.