Huskies Can’t Complete Rally, Fall 5-4 To Redbirds

Monday, March 12

Seattle, WA

6:05 PM

University of Washington

7-8

Illinois State

8-5

Illinois State

Washington

Jack DeCooman pitched 3 1/3 strong innings Monday.

March 12, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Brian Tom

SEATTLE – Washington scored in the eighth and ninth innings on Monday night, but it wasn't quite enough as its late rally came up short in a 5-4 loss to Illinois State at Husky Ballpark.

The visiting Redbirds led from start to finish in the series finale and won three-of-four games to improve to 8-5 on the season.

The Huskies limp into Pac-12 play this upcoming weekend against Arizona having dropped below .500 at 7-8 on the season.

Illinois State struck quickly in the first inning, putting a two-spot on the board before the Huskies had a chance to lift a bat off their shoulders. The Redbirds strung together three doubles – all to left field – off starter Lucas Knowles (1-1) to go up 2-0.

The Huskies answered back with a run of their own in the first inning to make the score 2-1. After Mason Cerrillo and Nick Kahle reached off ISU starter Matt Walker (2-1) on back-to-back walks, Joe Wainhouse singled up the middle scoring Cerrillo.

The Redbirds scored a pair of two-out runs in the fourth to go up by three. After a walk and single compounded by an error, John Rave doubled home both runners to make the score 4-1.

Knowles had a solid five inning outing, allowing four runs – three earned – walking one batter and giving up eight hits. The redshirt freshman struck out a career high six batters, but he took the loss.

The Huskies nibbled back into the game in the fifth by scoring a run on a bases-loaded, two-out, wild pitch that made the score 4-2, but Illinois State managed to keep them at bay. The Redbirds would extend its lead back to three runs when they scored an unearned run in the eighth inning.

Washington answered back with runs in the eighth and ninth inning, but were unable to complete the rally. Ben Baird came up with a clutch two-out single that scored Christian Jones, who doubled to start the eighth inning, to cut the lead to two.

In the ninth, Joe Wainhouse singled home Cerrillo for his second RBI of the game, but the Huskies were unable to convert after that.

Braiden Ward pinch ran for Wainhouse at first and predictably stole second base. Freshman Jonathan Schiffer singled to right field, but the ball held up enough in the air that Ward had to only advance 90 feet.

Brady Huffman, who was Illinois State's Friday night starter, got Jones to pop up to shallow left field for the second out and struck out KJ Brady to end the game.
The loss was the short-handed Huskies fifth in six games. Two of the defeats to Illinois State were by one run.

Cerrillo was 1-for-2 with three runs scored, while Wainhouse was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in.

Jack DeCooman had an outstanding outing in his second college appearance. He relieved Knowles in the sixth and pitched into the ninth inning, striking out four and allowing no hits, two walks and just an unearned run.

The Dawgs start Pac-12 play Friday night at Husky Ballpark against Arizona.