Huskies Drop Heartbreaker In Ninth, 8-7, To Gonzaga

Wednesday, March 22

Spokane, Wash.

6:00 PM

University of Washington

13-7

Gonzaga

11-10

Washington

Gonzaga

March 22, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score Box: Gonzaga 8, UW 7

By: Brian Tom

SPOKANE, Wash. – For the second night in a row, a team made an improbable rally in the ninth inning, but this time it benefitted the host Gonzaga Bulldogs (11-10) and not the 22^nd-ranked Huskies (13-7).

Pinch-hitter Troy Johnston singled home two runners with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to rally the Bulldogs from a two-run deficit for an 8-7 win at Patterson baseball Complex in Spokane, Wash.

It looked like the Huskies were on their way to a late-inning rally for a second-night in a row, before Johnston's hit off Alex Hardy. Washington trailed 6-1 after six innings but scored four times in the seventh and twice in the eighth to overtake Gonzaga.

For a second-straight night, Gonzaga took a lead in the early innings. They scored twice off UW starter Josh Burgmann collecting five hits in the second inning. Gonzaga loaded the bases on three-straight singles with no outs and scored its first run on ground-ball double play. Gunnar Schubert drove in the second run on a single up the middle.

Jace Vandebrake tacked on two more runs for the Bulldogs an inning later with a two-out single off of reliever Tommy Costello to make the score 4-0.

The Huskies pounded out a season-high 15 hits, but could not convert on all their base runners until late in the game.

The Huskies had runners on base seemingly all evening but it took until the sixth for them to push one across the board. Willie MacIver, who doubled to start the inning, came around to score on a wild pitch, but that was all the Huskies would get as they stranded a runner at third with less than two outs.

Gonzaga responded with two runs in their half of the sixth to take a 6-1 lead. Tyler Frost singled home two runs with two outs to seemingly put a dagger in the Huskies' hopes.

But like so many times this season, the Huskies had some late-inning magic left in their bag of tricks. They sent nine batters to the plate and scored four times in the eighth to make it a close 6-5 ballgame. The first run came in to score on an error before Joey Morgan and Nick Kahle singled home runs. Freshman Jack Johnson capped the scoring in the inning with a sacrifice fly for his first career RBI that made it a one-run game.

MacIver provided what could have been the big blow – a two-out, two-run single in the eighth to give the Huskies their first lead of the game. With one out, Jack Meggs and MJ Hubbs reached on singles, moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and came around to score when MacIver greeted Gonzaga closer Wyatt Mills (1-0) with a hit just out of the reach of Gunnar Schubert at shortstop.

But, it turned out all for naught as the Bulldogs got the first two batters of the ninth on against Jordan Jones (2-3) before a fielder's choice and error loaded the bases for Johnston's one-out heroics. Mills picked up the win for Gonzaga.

The Huskies are off Thursday before starting a three-game Pac-12 series in Eugene, Ore. against the Ducks. They will play Oregon Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and finish the series Sunday with a 2 p.m. finale. All three games will be carried on the Pac-12 Network.