Cal Clinches Series With 5-2 Win Over UW

Saturday, April 21

Berkeley, CA

4:05 PM

University of Washington

California

April 21, 2018 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Brian Tom

BERKELEY, Calif. – Washington jumped out to a 2-0 lead against California but couldn't hold on to it and fell 5-2 at Evans Diamond in front of a crowd of 1,157.

The Huskies (17-17, 8-6 Pac-12) scored twice in the first inning and handed the ball over to their ace Joe DeMers, but Cal's All-America candidate Andrew Vaughn almost single-handedly lifted the Bears (23-13, 9-8) to a series-clinching 2-0 advantage.

The Washington bats came ready to roll Saturday as lead-off hitter Mason Cerrillo took Jared Horn's first pitch of the game to the left-center gap for a double, part of a 3-for-4 day for the UW junior. He would come around to score three batters later when designated hitter Joe Wainhouse doubled to deep centerfield.

The Huskies would tack on one more run on a wild pitch by Horn that scored Nick Kahle. Unfortunately for the visiting Dawgs, those would be the only runs they would get all day off Horn (5-4).

DeMers quickly learned that no lead is safe against Cal's renown offense, especially against the Pac-12's most potent offensive player Vaughn. The sophomore first baseman collected a RBI single in the first inning that cut the Huskies' lead in half and then gave his team the lead for good in the third inning on a two-run home run.

It was Vaughn's 17^th homer of the season and brought his RBI total to 45 on the season -- totals which both rank second in the Pac-12.

DeMers settled down after Vaughn's homer and kept Cal hitless until the seventh inning when the Bears benefitted from an error and two base hits, including a two-run single by centerfielder Tanner Dodson.

Up three, Cal moved Dodson to his other role as the team's closer and the hard-throwing right-hander recorded the final six outs of the game for his ninth save of the season.

DeMers (3-2) was a tough-luck loser, allowing five runs, including a season-high equaling four earned runs. He allowed six hits and did not walk a batter while striking out four.

Horn ended up outdueling DeMers over his seven innings, scattering seven hits and the two first inning runs. He walked one and struck out four UW batters.

Both team had eight hits, led by Cerrillo's three. He was the only Husky with multiple hits.

The Dawgs will turn to sophomore Jordan Jones to help them try to escape the Bay Area with at least one win. First pitch is scheduled for noon, with the game being televised on Pac-12 Washington and Pac-12 Bay Area.