UW Rally Falls Short, USC Wins 9-6

Friday, May 26

Seattle, Wash.

7:00 PM

University of Washington

27-26, 0

USC

21-33, 0

USC

Washington

May 26, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score Box: USC 9, UW 6

By: Brian Tom

SEATTLE – In a must-win game for the Husky Baseball team, Washington couldn't rebound after falling behind 5-0 to visiting USC and ultimately lost the second game of the series at Husky Ballpark, 9-6, Friday night.

USC (21-33, 8-21 Pac-12) jumped ahead 5-0 in the second inning, thanks to four home runs after eight USC hitters had batted. But for a second-consecutive night, Washington (27-26, 13-16) didn't back down.

The Huskies cut the lead to 5-4 and again 6-5, but USC scored three runs in the eighth to build a four-run lead that the Huskies ultimately couldn't overcome. UW is guaranteed an under .500 record with just one game remaining in the schedule, likely meaning a post-season bid is not in the Huskies' future.

For a second consecutive game, the night got off to a rough start for the Diamond Dawgs. USC lead-off hitter Lars Nootbaar hit a home run on the first pitch of the game he saw from UW starter Leo Nierenberg (1-5). It was the second-consecutive game that Nootbaar homered in his first at bat.

The Trojans were not done though in the first as Nootbaar's teammates got into the act. With one out Adalberto Carrillo hit a solo blast and Blake Sabol joined the homer parade with a two-out solo shot that forced a UW pitching change.

Joe DeMers got out of the first inning, but ran into trouble immediately in the second when Dillon Paulson doubled to start the frame and Matthew Acosta followed with a homer to right field. Through the first eight batters the Trojans had a 5-0 lead and hit four home runs.

UW started chipping away at the deficit in the second inning, getting two runs back without the benefit of a hit. USC starter CJ Stubbs struggled to find the strike zone and walked the first four Huskies of the inning – the final one to John Naff forcing in Joey Morgan from third base. AJ Graffanino followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Willie MacIver to make it 5-2.

The Huskies got two more runs back in the third on a two-run homer by Morgan that made the score 5-4. After MJ Hubbs walked with two outs, Morgan jumped on a 3-2 pitch from Stubbs and deposited it into USC's bullpen. It was Morgan's fifth home run of the year and moved his season RBI total to 45.

USC jumped back up by two runs in the fourth on a Nootbaar RBI triple, but UW answered again in their half of the inning. Nick Roberts grounded out, scoring Naff on the play, cutting the lead to 6-5.

But, USC put the game out of reach in the eighth inning with three runs off DeMers. The sophomore pitched his heart out, going 6 2/3 innings in his last home game of the season, allowing 11 hits and six runs – numbers not indicative of the solid effort he gave his team in his first career appearance out of the bullpen.

The Huskies got a run back in the ninth on a two-out RBI double by Jack Meggs that scored AJ Graffanino, but USC pitcher Solomon Bates got Hubbs to tap out to the mound to end the game.

Stubbs (2-5) allowed six hits over seven innings to pick up the win for USC.

USC outhit the Huskies 15-8 with Nootbaar leading the way with four hits and three RBIs.

Naff and Graffanino each had two hits to pace the Huskies' offense.

Saturday is the regular season finale and senior day. Senior day ceremonies start at 3:40 p.m. and first pitch will be at 4:00 p.m. The game will be televised by the Pac-12 Network.