University of Washington
Northwestern
Huskies Head To Northwestern For Big Ten Series
April 24, 2025 | Baseball
All three of the games will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus with live stats available at Huskystats.com.
DAWG BITES
- The Huskies swept the season series against Seattle U, taking the third game on Tuesday with an 11-1 win. In three games, the Huskies outscored the Redhawks 37-4.
- Tommy Brandenburg had his second-straight scoreless start, going 5.0 innings once again and allowing just a single hit on Tuesday.
- Washington claimed its fourth Big Ten series win, taking two of three against Illinois. The Huskies have won all six of their Big Ten series opening games.
- Max Banks Tossed a career-high 7.0 innings against Illinois on Friday. He brought his ERA down to 2.98, the fourth-best mark in the conference, and 30 hits, topping the Big Ten.
- Guerrero's home run against Seattle U gave him 38 in his career and inched him closer to No. 3 in the record book. (T-1. 42, Kyle Conley, 2006-09; T-1. 42, Ed Erickson, 1997-00; 3. 41, Zach Clem, 2003-06; 4. 38, AJ Guerrero, 2021-25; 5. 36, Will Simpson, 2020-23).
- 13 Huskies have produced 91 multiple hit games (Guerrero β 16, Kole - 11, DeCarlo - 10, Taggart - 9, Terry - 9, Wilson - 7, Bower - 7, Knight - 6, Hotchkiss - 6, Whitton - 3, Sanders - 3, Henning β 2, Blanchard - 2).
- 14 Huskies have generated 57 multi-RBI games, led by Trevor Kole and AJ Guerrero (Guerrero β 8, Kole β 8,Β Taggart β 7, Terry β 7, Knight β 6, Hotchkiss β 4, DeCarlo β 3, Wilson β 3, Bower β 2, Whitton β 2, Blanchard β 3, Sanders β 2, Boyd β 1, Crawford β 1).
- The Huskies have hit 41 home runs this season, 13 of which have come from transfer players. Casen Taggart and Malakhi Knight lead the group with four each, Trevor Kole and Julian Sanders have each hit two, and Carson Crawford has one. Washington's other home runs have come from DeCarlo (7), Bower (5), Guerrero (5), Hotchkiss (3), Terry (3), Wilson (2), Blanchard (2), and Whitton (1).
- 20 Huskies have made their program debuts (Banks, Boyd, Brandenburg, Bronzini, Bujacich, Crawford, Curran, Denomme, Gilbert, Henning, Hotchkiss, Knight, Kole, Nichols, O'Neal, Sanders, Taggart, Thomas, Tims, W. Woodward).
- 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
- 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.
- Washington is currently fifth in the Big Ten standings with an 11-7 record. The Diamond Dawgs trail Iowa (17-4),Β No. 15 UCLA (14-7), No. 13 Oregon (14-7), and USC (11-7).
- Max Banks is allowing 5.96 hits per nine innings, the 26th best mark in the NCAA and the second-best in the Big Ten conference.
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 head to take on Northwestern in Big Ten action in Evanston, Ill. in a three-game series beginning on Friday, April 25. Washington will extend its stay in Illinois to face UIC on Monday as well.
SERIES SWEPT
Washington swept the season series against Seattle U on Tuesday, taking down the Redhawks 11-1 at Bannerwood Park. The Huskies outscored Seattle U 37-4 over the three-game series. On Tuesday, Tommy Brandenburg pitched his second straight start of 5.0 innings with 0 runs allowed. AJ Guerrero also launched his second grand slam of the season and drove in five of the Huskies' 11 runs.
FOURTH BIG TEN SERIES WIN
The Huskies secured another conference series win over the weekend, taking two of three against Illinois. The Huskies needed only seven runs to secure the victories and gave up only seven runs across the three games.Β
SPORTS CENTER TOP-10
Centerfielder Malakhi Knight made a miraculous play on Sunday that garnered national attention, landing at No. 6 on the SC Top-10 countdown. The game was scoreless heading into the third inning. With two outs and a runner on second, Colin Jennings from Illinois hit a ball hard into right center field. A streaking Knight leapt from the warning track and made a miraculous catch over the wall, saving two runs and a robbing a long ball. It was Knight's second home run robbery this year after pulling off a similar play in Nebraska.
BANKS BALLING
Banks was nearly flawless again on Friday, tying a career-high 7.0 innings pitched against Illinois with only one run allowed. He fanned seven batters as well in the outing. Banks has been instrumental in Washington's Big Ten success, leading the Huskies to five of their six Big Ten series opener victories. In his last four starts, Banks has pitched a minimum of 6.0 innings, allowing two or less runs. He has six starts with those numbers in total this season.
He's risen in the national rankings as well. He's currently allowing 5.96 hits per nine innings, the second best mark in the Big Ten and 26th in the NCAA. His 1.06 WHIP is sixth in the conference and 54th nationally, and his ERA of 2.98 is third in the conference and 76th in the NCAA.
GOING, GOING, GUERRERO
Senior slugger AJ Guerrero took sole possession of fourth on the UW all-time home runs leaderboard after smacking his fourth of the season against St. John's, the 37th of his UW career. He added his 38th against Seattle U on Tuesday, inching himΒ closer to to third in the record book. He's four home runs from tying the record and five from taking it outright. (T-1. 42, Kyle Conley, 2006-09; T-1. 42, Ed Erickson, 1997-00; 3. 41, Zach Clem, 2003-06; 4. 37, AJ Guerrero, 2022-25; 5. 36, Will Simpson, 2020-23).
The Fife, Wash. native leads Washington in multi-hit games (16), runs scored (32), hits (51), doubles (13), total bases (79), slugging percentage (.503), is second in batting average (.325), on base percentage (.430), Walks (26), and home runs (5).
BIG PLAY YEAGER
Isaac Yeager has become one of the most dependable relief arms on the team and added his fifth and sixth saves of the season against Illinois on Friday and Saturday to clinch the series. He ranks seventh in the conference and 31st in the NCAA in total saves while sharing the team lead with Max Banks in strikeouts with 43. He also has a team-high 17 appearances on the season. Yeager has picked up five of his six saves in his last five appearances, included two saves in both the Illinois and Purdue series.
SLAMMIN' SAMMY
Sam DeCarlo, the Diamond Dawgs' home run leader, slugged his sixth and seventh long balls against No. 10 UCLA last weekend. DeCarlo ranks in a tie for most runs scored on the team (32), second inΒ hits (48), second in multiple hit games (12), second in total bases (74), and third in walks (24). He's been far more than just a power hitter, however. The shortstop has been a beacon of consistency for Washington this season, serving as the only Husky to start every game this and leads the team with 99 assists. He's also second on the team in fielding double plays (21). This week, DeCarlo was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List, making him one of the top-100 shortstops in the nation.
TIMS TIME
Freshman hurler Justin Tims has become a consistent pitcher for the Huskies, earning eight starts including his last five as a weekend starter. In his most recent outing against Illinois, he tossed 4.0 innings, striking out two while allowing three runs.Β
His best performance this season came against Purdue, helping Washington to a sweep of the Boilermakers. The freshman pitched a career-best 6.0 innings and eight strikeouts against zero walks. He's brought his ERA down to 5.32 on the season and owns a 1-2 record. Batters are hitting .278 against him with four or less hits allowed in six of his eight starts.
RISPY BUSINESS
Three Huskies are batting .350 or better with runners in scoring position (Taggart - .429, DeCarlo - .395, Bower - .375). Casen Taggart leads the team in batting average (.330) and on base percentage (.491).
WALKING THE WALK
Casen Taggart has shown his patience at the plate, earning 37 walks this season. He's among the best in taking bases on balls in the country, sitting 33rd in the NCAA in total walks and fourth in the Big Ten. On a per game basis, Taggart has the 14th-highest mark in the country and leads the Big Ten (1.06). He's collected four walks on two occasions this season, most recently against Purdue (4/6).
Taggart also shares the longest on base streak this season, currently sitting at 16 straight games. Braeden Terry has reached base safely in 16 games as well.
DOUBLE PLAY DAWG DEFENSE
Washington has been efficient defensively throughout the season. The Huskies have turned 31 double plays, the fifth-best mark in the Big Ten and the 55th-best in the NCAA.Β
After an errorless weekend against Illinois, the Huskies fielding percentage rose to .977, the fifth-best mark in the Big Ten and 34th in the NCAA.
TRANSFER POWER
Three Husky transfers crushed home runs against Seattle U last Tuesday. The Huskies have hit 41 home runs this season, 13 of which have come from transfer players. Casen Taggart and Malakhi Knight lead the group with four each, Trevor Kole and Julian Sanders have each hit two, and Carson Crawford has one. Washington's other home runs have come from DeCarlo (7), Bower (5), Guerrero (5), Hotchkiss (3), Terry (3), Wilson (2), Blanchard (2), and Whitton (1).
THOMAS ON TOP
Jackson Thomas has been a consistent starter for the Huskies since making his first start against San Francisco earlier this season. He's turned in eight total starts, seven of which he's gone for at least 5.0 innings. In five of those starts, he's allowed two or less runs, including on Saturday against Illinois.
Among pitchers reaching the minimum of 1.0 IP per game, he leads the team in innings pitched (46.1), he's second on the team in earned run average (4.27), opposing batting average (.260), runs allowed (22), walks allowed (18), doubles allowed (6), and home runs allowed (4).Β
BOWER BOOMING
Colton Bower has been a force behind the plate and as a hitter this season. Defensively, he's caught 12 runners stealing. As a batter, Bower's logged five home runs and has 28 hits on the season, including seven doubles.Β
In the Big Ten rankings, Bower is first in both hit by pitch (18) and hit by pitch per game (0.51). Bower is also in the top-25 in both hit by pitch statistics nationally, coming in at 12th in total HBP and 20th in per game.
His 18 pitches worn this season are tied for the fifth-most in a season in program history.
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.
