Saturday, May 27
Seattle, Wash.
4:00 PM
University of Washington
28-26, 0
7
vs
4
USC
21-34, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
USC
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
0
4
15
0
Washington
0
1
0
2
3
0
0
1
X
7
12
2
Huskies Send Seniors Out With 7-4 Win
May 27, 2017 | Baseball
SEATTLE βΒ Washington ended the 2017 season byΒ beating USC, 7-4, Saturday at Husky Ballpark, sending their seniors out on a high note.
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The Huskies (28-26, 14-16 Pac-12) broke the game open with two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth before holding off a late rally attempt by the Trojans (21-34, 8-22).
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UW realistically saw its post-season hopes go by the wayside after dropping the second game of the series Friday night. UW coach Lindsay Meggs expressed to his team in the postgame huddle how happy he was about the way his team was able to put their best foot forward on a sun-soaked Saturday in front of 1,302 fans.
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"I didn't want to reflect on the season," Meggs said. "I just wanted to make sure they knew how proud I was of them, coming back today and winning the series against a team that's swinging the bat well.
Β
"It wasn't easy to do. We could have rolled over, but guys fought. We have some character, and we showed that."
Β
John Naff, one of seven Husky seniors honored in pre-game festivities, started the final game of his collegiate career with a bang, sending a home run to deep left-center field in the second inning. Naff took a 1-0 offering from USC starter Chris Clarke (4-2) over the fence for a solo blast β his third homer of the season. It continued a hot May for the UW first baseman, who entered the game hitting .366 in 12 previous games during the month.
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"On senior day, I'm just looking to put some good swings on balls and I was able to put a really good swing on that one," Naff said.
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USC would tie things up in the third on a two-out RBI single by Brandon Perez, but UW took the lead for good in the fourth with a pair of runs. Willie MacIver led things off with a single and came around to score after there were two outs on an AJ Graffanino RBI single. After Graffanino stole second, Nick Roberts collected his second career hit and RBI with a single up the middle.
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The Huskies played add-on in the fifth scoring three more runs to go up 6-1. Naff collected his second extra-base hit and second RBI of the day with a double into right field that scored Joey Morgan.
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Pinch hitter Gage Matuszak drove in the next run on a RBI ground-out and Graffanino collected his second-two out RBI of the day with a run-scoring single.
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Meanwhile, freshman Jordan Jones turned in his best outing on the mound for the Huskies since throwing seven innings of a combined shutout against Baylor on April 1. The right-hander from Kent, Wash. went six innings, allowing five hits and allowing one earned run. He picked up his first win of the season since April 8 at UCLA to end the season with a 5-8 record and some added confidence heading into the off season.
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"It's a little boost, kind of ramping up for next year," Jones said. "I'll be able to feel good heading into the off season and keep my head high."
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USC made it interesting scoring three runs on six hits in the eighth off Greg Minier, but Washington added an insurance run in the eighth inning to expand its lead to a more comfortable three runs. Senior Kyle London laid down a safety squeeze with runners on the corners that scored Graffanino and made the score 7-4.
Β
Minier gave up a pair of hits in the ninth inning, but he got Aldaberto Carrillo to fly out to right field to end the game and clinch the series.
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Washington had 12 hits with Graffanino (3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs) and Morgan (3-for-4) accounting for half of them.
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Roberts had a career-high two hits and Naff ended his UW career with a 2-for-4, 2 RBI day.
Β
Β
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Β
Β
The Huskies (28-26, 14-16 Pac-12) broke the game open with two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth before holding off a late rally attempt by the Trojans (21-34, 8-22).
Β
UW realistically saw its post-season hopes go by the wayside after dropping the second game of the series Friday night. UW coach Lindsay Meggs expressed to his team in the postgame huddle how happy he was about the way his team was able to put their best foot forward on a sun-soaked Saturday in front of 1,302 fans.
Β
"I didn't want to reflect on the season," Meggs said. "I just wanted to make sure they knew how proud I was of them, coming back today and winning the series against a team that's swinging the bat well.
Β
"It wasn't easy to do. We could have rolled over, but guys fought. We have some character, and we showed that."
Β
John Naff, one of seven Husky seniors honored in pre-game festivities, started the final game of his collegiate career with a bang, sending a home run to deep left-center field in the second inning. Naff took a 1-0 offering from USC starter Chris Clarke (4-2) over the fence for a solo blast β his third homer of the season. It continued a hot May for the UW first baseman, who entered the game hitting .366 in 12 previous games during the month.
Β
"On senior day, I'm just looking to put some good swings on balls and I was able to put a really good swing on that one," Naff said.
Β
USC would tie things up in the third on a two-out RBI single by Brandon Perez, but UW took the lead for good in the fourth with a pair of runs. Willie MacIver led things off with a single and came around to score after there were two outs on an AJ Graffanino RBI single. After Graffanino stole second, Nick Roberts collected his second career hit and RBI with a single up the middle.
Β
The Huskies played add-on in the fifth scoring three more runs to go up 6-1. Naff collected his second extra-base hit and second RBI of the day with a double into right field that scored Joey Morgan.
Β
Pinch hitter Gage Matuszak drove in the next run on a RBI ground-out and Graffanino collected his second-two out RBI of the day with a run-scoring single.
Β
Meanwhile, freshman Jordan Jones turned in his best outing on the mound for the Huskies since throwing seven innings of a combined shutout against Baylor on April 1. The right-hander from Kent, Wash. went six innings, allowing five hits and allowing one earned run. He picked up his first win of the season since April 8 at UCLA to end the season with a 5-8 record and some added confidence heading into the off season.
Β
"It's a little boost, kind of ramping up for next year," Jones said. "I'll be able to feel good heading into the off season and keep my head high."
Β
USC made it interesting scoring three runs on six hits in the eighth off Greg Minier, but Washington added an insurance run in the eighth inning to expand its lead to a more comfortable three runs. Senior Kyle London laid down a safety squeeze with runners on the corners that scored Graffanino and made the score 7-4.
Β
Minier gave up a pair of hits in the ninth inning, but he got Aldaberto Carrillo to fly out to right field to end the game and clinch the series.
Β
Washington had 12 hits with Graffanino (3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs) and Morgan (3-for-4) accounting for half of them.
Β
Roberts had a career-high two hits and Naff ended his UW career with a 2-for-4, 2 RBI day.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Jordan (5-8)
L: Clarke, Chris (4-2)
Batting:
2B: Dempster, Corey 1
RBI: Perez, Brandon 1 ; Dempster, Corey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perez, Brandon 1 ; Rios, Frankie 1 ; Dempster, Corey 1 ; Acosta, Matthew 1
Batting:
2B: Morgan, Joey 1 ; Naff, John 1
HR: Naff, John 1
RBI: London, Kyle 1 ; Naff, John 2 ; Matuszak, Gage 1 ; Graffanino, AJ 2 ; Roberts, Nick 1
SH: London, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Morgan, Joey 1 ; MacIver, Willie 2 ; Naff, John 2 ; Graffanino, AJ 2
SB: Meggs, Jack 1 ; Graffanino, AJ 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
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