Four-Homer Day Carries Washington to First Win Under Kelly

Saturday, February 18

Santa Clara, CA

1:00 PM

University of Washington

1-0

Santa Clara

0-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Washington	0	0	0	5	0	3	1	0	1	10	8	0
Santa Clara	0	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	5	7	2

Notes

Four-Homer Day Carries Washington to First Win Under Kelly

February 18, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Washington blasted four home runs on Saturday en route to an Opening Day victory, erasing an early deficit to defeat Santa Clara 10-5 and give Jason Kelly his first win as head coach of the Huskies.

Coby Morales highlighted the day, hammering a pair of long balls. Johnny Tincher and Cam Clayton also got in on the big fly fun as the Dawgs doubled up the Broncos.

Husky starter Jared Engman received a no decision with three frames of work, allowing just two hits but four runs. True freshman Isaac Yeager earned the win, surrendering a single run over two innings. Sam Boyle and Josh Emanuels also saw some work in relief.

The Broncos took advantage of some free passes to take an early lead in the second. After an HBP and back-to-back walks loaded the bags, Ben Stack shot a single into left field, plating a pair to put Santa Clara in front.

SCU doubled its lead through a Jack Harnish two-run homer in the third. However, the Huskies had a response brewing.

Hitless entering the fourth, the Dawgs got on the board and cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth as Johnny Tincher pummeled an 0-1 offering over the fence in left for a two-run shot. Two batters later, Morales pulled one over the wall in right and just like that the game was tied.

The Huskies weren't done there either. With two runners on, Cam Clayton found a hole through the left side, bringing Christian Dicochea around from second. By innings end, UW had turned a four-run deficit into a 5-4 lead.

Santa Clara tied the game with a solo homer in their half of the inning but the fireworks were far from done.

Following a scoreless fifth from both sides, Cam Clayton launched a three-run jack to left in the sixth, sending the visitor dugout into a frenzy and reclaiming the lead at 8-5.

After Yeager escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom half, Morales demolished a 1-0 pitch in the seventh, blasting a no-doubt bomb for his second of the day to add another run.

Clayton added another run for UW in the ninth on a sac fly and Emanuels closed things out in the ninth, closing out an Opening Day dub for the Dawgs.

Quick Hits
• UW's 10 runs was its most in the season opener since defeating New Mexico State 11-10 in 2006.
• Coby Morales two-homer day was the first on Opening Day for a Husky since that 2006 game, when Zach Clem hit a pair of home runs.
• In addition to his two-run home run, Johnny Tincher also threw two runners out on the base paths.
• Isaac Yeager, Sam Boyle and Sam DeCarlo all made their Husky debuts.

For more information on the UW baseball team, follow @UW_Baseball on Twitter and Instagram.