Huskies Can’t Overcome Hump In 6-4 Loss To Hornets

Saturday, February 17

Sacramento, CA

3:00 PM

University of Washington

1-1

Sacramento State

1-1

Washington

Sacramento State

February 17, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Brian Tom

SACRAMENTO – Sacramento State scored four runs in the second inning and visiting Washington (1-1) could never recover as the Huskies lost 6-4 Saturday at John Smith Field to even up the four-game series at a game apiece.

Sacramento State (1-1) sent ten batters to the plate in the second inning to put the Huskies (1-1) in what turned out to be an insurmountable 4-0 hole. The Hornets were aided by a pair of Husky errors and only one of the four runs against UW starter Chris Micheles (0-1) was earned.

The Hornets did have four hits in the inning, including RBI singles by James Outman and Vinny Esposito. The Huskies avoided further damage when left fielder Mason Cerrillo crashed into the wall to rob Steven Moretto of an extra-base, bases-loaded hit. The play ended the inning, but it by no means deterred the Hornets.

The Hornets added a run in the third on a two-out RBI triple by Ian Dawkins and tagged on their final run of the game in the fourth on a long home run by Matt Smith.

Micheles left the game one out after Smith's homer and was charged with three earned runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Give credit to the Huskies though, as they never rolled over and kept chipping away at the Hornets' lead. The Diamond Dawgs got a run back in the fifth on a Levi Jordan RBI infield single but would not threaten again until the final two innings.

They got one run back in the eighth inning on a Christian Jones RBI double and had the bases loaded to bring the tying run up to the plate, but reliever Austin Ragsdale got Ben Baird to pop up on the infield and Noah Hsue to ground out to end the threat.

Washington would score two more in the ninth on a RBI groundout by catcher Nick Kahle and a run-scoring wild pitch, but Cerrillo flew out to end the game.

The bullpen continued to be a bright spot for the Huskies as they held Colorado hitless after Smith's fourth inning home run. Four pitchers combined to throw the final 4 2/3 innings, striking out eight in shutting down the Hornets' lineup. The UW bullpen has now thrown 9 2/3 scoreless innings on the season.

Freshman Jack Enger followed Michaels with 2 2/3 innings, collecting six strikeouts while walking three.

Jordan and Cerrillo had two hits each to lead the Huskies, who outhit the Hornets 8-7.

Game three of the four-game series will be played at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. Sophomore right-hander Jordan Jones will make his 2018 debut on the hill for the Dawgs.