UW Starts Year With Gutty 4-1 Win In 11 Innings

Friday, February 16

Sacramento, CA

6:00 PM

University of Washington

1-0

Sacramento State

0-1

Washington

Sacramento State

February 16, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Brian Tom

SACRAMENTO – AJ Graffanino's two-run single in the 11^th broke a 1-1 tie and helped the Huskies to an eventual 4-1 extra-innings win over host Sacramento State in the season opener for both squads.

Sophomore Nick Kahle drove home Graffanino with a single to make the score 4-1 and freshman Stevie Emanuels (1-0) pitched two strong innings in his college debut to pick up the win in front of 651 fans at John Smith Field.

"We have lots to work on, but any time you win an extra-inning game on the road, you're doing something right," said UW's ninth-year coach Lindsay Meggs.

UW starter Joe DeMers and Sacramento State starter Parker Brahms pitched their hearts out for their respective teams, but both were long gone at the end.

DeMers sailed through the Hornets' batting order until he ran into trouble in the fourth inning. What turned out to be the Hornets' only run of the game came across the plate with two outs and was unearned. UW's catcher Kahle had his throw down to second base on a double steal sail into the outfield, allowing Hornets' left fielder Matt Smith, who reached on a one-out double, to score.

Brahms was tough on the Huskies, striking out nine and allowing just two hits through six scoreless innings before he was lifted after 72 pitches and with a 1-0 lead.

The Huskies (1-0) took immediate advantage as first baseman Mason Cerrillo greeted reliever Tanner Dalton with a lead-off double and eventually came around to score on a Kahle sacrifice fly that tied the score at 1-1.

The run in the Huskies' seventh ensured DeMers would leave his first start of the 2018 season on a positive note. The junior held Sac State (0-1) to three hits and allowed just the one unearned run. He tallied seven strikeouts and walked three before being forced to the bench with 103 pitches under his belt.

Both teams had very few offensive threats and until the Huskies' 11^th, neither could not capitalize when they were presented with opportunities. Each team had a chance to snag the lead in regulation, but both teams were turned away in the eighth inning with a runner at third.

The Huskies ended up outhitting the Hornets, 7-5.

Washington finally broke through when freshman Kaiser Weiss, who entered late in the game as a defensive replacement, drew a walk in his first collegiate at bat to start the 11^th. Lead-off hitter, KJ Brady, was hit by a pitch from Ty Fox (0-1) to put two runners on with nobody out, and Cerrillo dropped down a sacrifice bunt to set the table for Graffanino.

Graffanino, the Huskies' top MLB Draft prospect, smacked the first pitch he saw from Fox into right field and both Weiss and Brady scored. Graffanino would advance from first to third on a failed pick-off throw behind the runner by catcher Dylan McPhillips and came around to score when Kahle delivered Fox's next pitch into the outfield for his second RBI of the game.

Emanuels, who is scheduled to start Monday's finale, entered the game in the 10^th inning and set the top of the Hornets' lineup down in order. The righty from Bellevue, Wash., gave up a one out double to P.J. Floyd before getting a groundout and strikeout to slam the door shut.

Emanuels capped a stellar evening by the UW bullpen by striking out four of the seven batters he faced in his debut. The UW staff combined for 14 strikeouts on the night.

Leo Nierenberg (1 2/3 innings), Lucas Knowles (1/3) and Alex Hardy (1) combined with Emanuels to allow just two hits and no runs while striking out seven in five innings of relief work by the bullpen.

The Huskies will go for the 2-0 series advantage tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Sophomore lefty Chris Micheles is scheduled to take the hill for the Huskies in game two of the four-game tilt.