University of Washington
Rutgers
Huskies Return to Big Ten Play At Rutgers
March 27, 2025 | Baseball
DAWG BITES
- Washington recorded its third shutout of the season on Sunday in a 2-0 win over Maryland. The Huskies rank fourth in the Big Ten and 12th in the NCAA in total shutouts
- Justin Tims pitched a career-high 5.2 innings and struck out five batters. Josh Emanuels pitched the remaining 3.1 innings and earned his third save of the season
- Washington recorded its eighth game with two or more home runs in an 12-4 win over Maryland on Friday. The Dawgs are 6-2 when hitting at least two home runs and 2-0 when hitting three
- 12 Huskies have produced 53 multiple hit games (Kole - 8, DeCarlo - 7, Guerrero - 6, Bower - 6, Taggart - 5, Terry - 4, Knight - 4, Wilson - 4, Whitton - 3, Sanders - 2, Hotchkiss - 2, Henning - 2)
- 12 Huskies have generated 33 multi-RBI games, with Trevor Kole leading the way with six (Kole β 6,Β Taggart β 5, Guerrero β 4, Knight β 4, Wilson - 3 Hotchkiss - 2, Terry - 2, Bower - 2, Whitton - 2, Blanchard - 1, Sanders - 1, DeCarlo - 1)
- Guerrero's home run against Texas Tech moved him into a tie for fourth in the Husky home run record book with 36 career home runs (T-1. 42, Kyle Conley, 2006-09; T-1. 42, Ed Erickson, 1997-00; 3. 41, Zach Clem, 2003-06; 4. 36, Will Simpson, 2020-23)
- The Huskies have turned 20 double plays this season, ranking 16th in the NCAA
- 52 of Washington's 133 RBIs have come from new transfer players (Trevor Kole β 18, Casen Taggart β 16, Malakhi Knight β 14, Julian Sanders β 8, Carson Crawford- 1)
- 19 Huskies have made their program debuts (Banks, Brandenburg, Bronzini, Bujacich, Crawford, Curran, Denomme, Gilbert, Henning, Hotchkiss, Knight, Kole, Nichols, O'Neal, Sanders, Taggart, Thomas, Tims, W. Woodward)
1 - 2025 is the first season for Eddie Smith at the helm for UW. The Olympia, Wash. native comes to theΒ Huskies after threeΒ years at Utah Valley.
36 - AJ Guerrero moved into a tie for fourth all-time in career homers at Washington with his three long balls in Las Vegas.
13 - Colton Bower is one of the best in the NCAA at wearing it. His 13 HBPs are the top mark in the Big Ten and 12th in the NCAA.
21 - The Huskies have turned 21 double plays this season, adding one against No. 5 Oregon State on Tuesday for the second-best mark in the Big Ten and the 27th in the NCAA.
FIRST SEASON UNDER SMITH
On July 9, 2024, Eddie Smith was named the 25th head coach of University of Washington baseball, announced by UW Director of Athletics Pat Chun. Smith, a native of Olympia, Washington, comes to Montlake after three seasons at Utah Valley, quickly turning the Wolverines around from a Western Athletic Conference bottom dweller to one of the nation's most feared mid-major outfits.
UP NEXT
The Huskies travel to New Jersey to take on Rutgers for a three-game series beginning on Friday. The Diamond Dawgs will then take on Saint John's on Tuesday before returning to Seattle.
THIRD SHUTOUTΒ
The Husky pitchers were lights out on Sunday, holding Maryland scoreless while allowing just six hits. Freshman right-hander Justin Tims pitched a career-high 5.2 innings and struck out five batters before Josh Emanuels closed out the remaining 3.1 innings. Tims collected his first career win while Emanuels earned his third save of the season.
Washington ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 12th in the NCAA in total shutouts (3).
B1G SUCCESSΒ
Washington has won both of its Big Ten series this season after taking two of three from Nebraska in Lincoln and recording two victories over Maryland in the Huskies' Big Ten home-opener this weekend. Washington held the Terrapins to only six runs across the whole three game series. Maryland currently ranks 28th in the NCAA in total runs (209) and is averaging 8.71 runs per game.
With the series win, Washington moved into fourth in the Big Ten standings with a 4-2 conference record.
BANKS BACK
Max Banks is slated to take the bump on Friday, making his second start since February 28 vs. Texas. The senior returned to action last Friday against Maryland, tossing 3.0 innings with two hits, two runs, and two strikeouts. On the season, Banks has made four starts, owns a 1-2 record, and has an ERA of 4.87 withΒ 21 strikeouts, the third-most on the team.
GUERRERO POWER
Senior slugger AJ Guerrero moved into a tie for fourth all-time in career home runs after hitting a home run in each game in Las Vegas, including a grand slam against No. 15 Texas. Guerrero has 36 career home runs, tied with Will Simpson (2020-23).
Guerrero has been on a tear to start the season, and has the team's longest hitting streak of 13 games, which was snapped against Gonzaga. His team-leading on base streak closed at 14 as well.Β
The Fife, Wash. native leads Washington in doubles (9), total bases (44), is second in walks (15), home runs (3), batting average (.289), third in slugging percentage (.489), on base percentage (.396), and RBIs (14).
SANDERS SLUGGING
Graduate transfer Julian Sanders has gotten hot as of late while filling in for Casen Taggart at first base. The former Claremont McKenna College (DIII) standout's average has risen to .250Β with seven runs, 10 hits, two doubles, and one home run. He's tallied eight RBIs as well, along with two walks and three HBP against four strikeouts in his 40 at bats.
Sanders, a native of Mercer Island, Wash., walked on to the baseball team in the fall. He reached out to the Washington coaching staff when he began his graduate program at the University of Washington, looking for a chance to try out for the team. Since then, he's made the active roster and featured in 14 games, making 10 starts.
SLAMMIN' SAMMY
Sam DeCarlo's bat has been hot since moving from the leadoff spot to the middle of the lineup. In 43 leadoff at bats, DeCarlo had an average of .186 with eight hits, one double, one home run, and three RBIs. In 51 at bats from the fifth and sixth spots, DeCarlo is batting .392 with nine runs scored, 20 hits, with two doubles and one home run.
DeCarlo currently leads the team with 29 hits and is second with 22 runs scored.
DeCarlo is the sole Husky to start every game this season and leads the team with 64 assists. He's also tied for the team lead with Casen Taggart in fielding double plays (15).
MCADAMSΒ MONEY
Whether as a starting pitcher or from the bullpen, Reilly McAdams has been a consistent contributor for the Diamond Dawgs. In his latest appearance last Friday, he took over for Max Banks and tossed 6.0 innings, allowing just four hits and two runs while striking out six and leading the Huskies to a 12-4 win. McAdams also has the second most starts on the team this season (5) and is second on the team in earned run average (4.94), innings pitched (27.1), and strikeouts (22). McAdams leads Washington in strikeouts looking (11), five more than the next pitcher on the team (Banks, 6).
RISPY BUSINESS
Three Huskies are batting .350 or better with runners in scoring position (Sanders - .455, DeCarlo - .429, Henning - .429,Β Bower - .364). Casen Taggart leads Washington in batting average (.317), slugging percentage (.533), on base percentage (.463), and walks (17).
DOUBLE PLAY DAWG DEFENSE
Through the first stretch of the season, Washington has been one of the best defensive teams in the nation. The Huskies have turned 21 double plays, the second-best mark in the Big Ten and the 27th-best in the NCAA. The Huskies are averaging 0.81 double plays per game, fifth in the conference and 55th in the country.
Washington has great defensively overall, owning a .973 fielding percentage, the ninth-best mark in the Big Ten and 81st in the NCAA.
TRANSFER POWER
The Huskies have hit 25 home runs this season, eight of which have come from transfer players. Casen Taggart is second on the team with three long balls. Malakhi Knight also knocked his third homer of the season against Nebraska, a three run shot to put Washington in front in the second game of the doubleheader.Β Washington's other home runs have come from Colton Bower (5), AJ Guerrero (3), Sam DeCarlo (3), Blake Wilson (2), Jackson Hotchkiss (1), Julian Sanders (1), Braeden Terry (1), and Cooper Whitton (1).
THOMAS ON TOP
Jackson Thomas had a dominant first start for Washington, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings while allowing three hits, two walks, and fanning seven batters against San Francisco. He backed up his first showing with another stellar performance against Nebraska in the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday. He tossed a career-high 7.0 innings while collecting his team-leading second victory of the season. Following his fourth start of the season against Maryland on Saturday, Thomas owns a 2.30 ERA, the second-best mark in the Big Ten and 63rd in the NCAA.
Thomas leads Washington in innings pitched (27.1), 23 strikeouts, hits allowed (21),Β opposing batting average (.210), runs allowed (7), and walks allowed (10).
BOWER BOOMING
Colton Bower has been a force behind the plate and as a hitter this season. Defensively, he's caught 11 runners stealing. As a batter, Bower's logged a team-high five home runs and has 23 hits on the season, including six doubles.Β
In the Big Ten rankings, Bower is first in hit by pitch (13) and third in hit by pitch per game (0.52). Bower is also in the top 25 in both hit by pitch statistics nationally, coming in at 12th in total HBP and 34th in per game.
IMPACT RELIEVER
Josh Emanuels has been strong out of the bullpen for the Dawgs, tallying three saves in 2025, including the series clinching save against Maryland on Sunday. Emanuels ranks sixth in the Big Ten and 62nd nationally in total saves.
WASHINGTON DEBUTS
19 Huskies have made their program debuts through four games (Banks, Brandenburg, Bronzini, Bujacich, Crawford, Curran, Denomme, Gilbert, Henning, Hotchkiss, Knight, Kole, Nichols, O'Neal, Sanders, Taggart, Thomas, Tims, W. Woodward).
INAUGURAL BIG TEN SEASON
Washington will compete in the Big Ten for the first time in 2025. The Huskies join the new-look conference as one of 17 competitors. Washington will face Nebraska, Maryland, Rutgers, Purdue, UCLA, Illinois, Northwestern, Iowa, Oregon, and USC this season.
This year'sΒ conference tournament will feature 12 teams and incorporate pool play with four groups consisting of three teams each. The four pool winners will meet in the single-elimination semifinals on May 24, followed by the championship game on May 25.
D3 DIAMONDS
For the third straight year, Washington has hit the NCAA Division III ranks to add to its pitching staff through the transfer portal. The Huskies added right-hander Max Banks who enjoyed a strong three-year career at Division III Chapman, collectively going 12-4, 3.35 in three seasons with a 185-to-67 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 150 2/3 innings. Last season, Washington signed right-hander Spencer Dessart out of Middlebury College in Vermont, who posted a 4.32 ERA with 63 strikeouts over 50 innings. And in 2023, UW brought in D3 transfer Kiefer Lord out of Minnesota's Carleton College, with Lord going on to be a third round draft choice in the 2023 MLB Draft.Β
IT CAN WAIT
For the third year in a row, a Washington commit turned down the opportunity to sign with an MLB team to join the Husky roster. Jackson Hotchkiss was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks, but opted to take his talents to UW first. Last season, Blake Wilson was drafted in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals but still made his way to Montlake. Former Husky Aiva Arquette was a 18th round draft choice by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2022 before coming to campus.
