@ Washington 5 – Arizona 1
Oregon State 9 – @ Cal 2
@ UCLA 4 – USC 2
UC Davis 13 – @ Washington State 11
Media Releases
(Seattle, WA) – Starting pitcher Jorden Merry allowed just one run over seven and one-third innings to lead the Washington baseball team to a 5-1 win over No. 18 Arizona Sunday at Husky Ballpark as the Huskies prevailed in a tightly-contested three-game series, two wins to one.
Washington (20-9 overall and 3-3 in the Pac-10) won the series opener Friday, 1-0, on a two-hit shutout from Nick Haughian. Saturday, Arizona’s David Coulon threw a seven-hit shutout in a 5-0 Wildcats win. Arizona fell to 15-11 overall and 3-6 in the conference with Sunday’s loss.
Merry, a junior from Pasco, improved to 4-0 on the season, holding the Wildcats to just one run on four hits over his seven and one-third innings. He walked two and struck out six. Senior Elliott Cribby worked the final one and two-thirds innings for the save.
Arizona starter Eric Berger (2-2) suffered the loss despite allowing just one run on two hits over two and one-third innings.
The Huskies’ leadoff batter walked in each of the first three innings, but it took until the third for them to capitalize. In the third, after Michael Burgher drew a free pass and moved to second on a bunt, second baseman Bradley Boyer doubled into the right-field corner, scoring Burgher to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.
In the meantime, Merry cruised. After giving up a one-out single in the first inning, he retired 16 in a row before Diallo Fon singled with two outs in the sixth, one batter after both UW catcher Joey Dunn and head coach Ken Knutson were ejected by home plate umpire Tony Norris for arguing balls and strikes.
Washington finally added a second run in the bottom of the sixth. After a double from Aaron Russell and a one-out, infield single from Kyle Conley, Arizona closer Daniel Schlereth came on to face Brian Pearl, who laid down a suicide squeeze bunt. His bunt was too sharp and right back to the mound, but Schlereth’s throw to the plate flew past the catcher, allowing Russell to score to give the UW a 2-0 lead.
Arizona finally broke through in the eighth. With one out, Merry issued his first walk of the game to Bryce Ortega. After Ortega stole second, pinch hitter Bobby Coyle drove a single to left, giving the Wildcats their first run. After a second walk, Arizona had runners at first and second with one out when senior Elliott Cribby came on to replace Merry. But, the inning ended with the 2-1 UW lead in tact as pinch runner Hunter Pace was picked off first base by UW backup catcher Brett Wilcox and Colt Sedbrook grounded out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Huskies took advantage of two more errors to score three runs. With a runner at first and one out, Conley bunted back to the mound. Reliever Jason Stoffel threw to first but first baseman C.J. Ziegler was unable to handle it, putting runners at second and third. Pearl then laced a single to drive in both runners. After a second out, Andy Lentz lined a double to center, bring in Pearl to give the Huskies a 5-1 lead.
The Huskies take a break from Pac-10 play for their next four games, playing host to Portland on Tuesday and Brigham Young Thursday through Saturday. That series is followed by a two-game trip to Gonzaga before the UW returns to Pac-10 play April 18-20 at California.
(Berkeley, CA) – Jorge Reyes threw a strong 6 2/3 innings, scattering five hits and two runs, and Drew George tied a season-high with four hits as Oregon State took the series finale from No. 7 California, 9-2, Sunday afternoon at Evans Diamond.
Reyes needed just 85 pitches to get through 6 2/3 innings, which tied for his second-longest start of the season. He allowed five hits and two runs – one earned – while striking out five and walking just one. The right-hander improved to 2-1 in his seventh start of the season.
Reyes kept California to just one hit through the first five innings. He gave up a solo shot to David Cooper in the sixth, and allowed three hits in the inning; however, the two hits after Cooper’s inning-starting home run did not score. Reyes forced the Golden Bears to strand six runners.
George, meanwhile, equaled his career-best four hits with singles in the second, third, and fifth innings. He doubled in the sixth and walked in the eighth. The Lebanon, Ore., native now has three games this season with four hits; he posted four and six RBI against San Diego State on March 10, then nearly equaled the feat with four hits and four RBI at Nevada on March 15.
“Jorge and Drew certainly stood out today, but this was also a team effort,” Oregon State head coach Pat Casey said. “Jorge was sharp and got a big win. He did very well against a very good California offense. This is a good win to build on as we get Stanford next weekend.”
Oregon State improved to 15-10 this season and 3-3 in Pacific-10 Conference games. OSU is also 3-6 against teams ranked in the top 25 this season. The Golden Bears, meanwhile, dropped to 21-7-1 overall and 4-2 in Pac-10 contests.
Offensively, the Beavers tallied 13 hits on the day. Jason Ogata finished 3-for-4 and scored two runs, while John Wallace doubled in the third and singled in the fifth. He also walked in the second and scored a run to go along with an RBI.
For the second straight day, Oregon State chased California’s starter early, getting right-hander Alex Rollin out of the game after just 2 1/3 innings of work. The starter scattered nine hits and four runs before being pulled in favor of reliever Todd Fitzgerald.
Rollin dropped to 3-1 this season.
Oregon State began its scoring in the second, putting two runs on the board for a 2-0 lead. George started the inning off with a single, and moved to second on a stolen base. George eventually moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored when Daniel Robertson singled down the right field line. Robertson, too, scored in the second when Chris Hopkins singled up the middle with two outs.
The Beavers added to their lead in the third. Consecutive one-out singles by Ogata and Ryan Ortiz put runners on first and third, setting the table for George’s second single of the game, a shot to right that scored Ogata. Wallace then doubled to right center, scoring Ortiz, and chasing Rollin. Fitzgerald came on in relief of Rollin and proceeded to get out of the inning with two straight outs, keeping OSU’s lead at 4-0.
The Golden Bears trimmed the Beavers’ lead slightly in the bottom half of the third, scoring on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Cooper, making the score 4-1.
The Beavers got to Fitzgerald in the fifth, stretching the lead to 6-1. The lefty walked both Garrett Nash and Joey Wong with the bases loaded and two at bats, in consecutive at bats, before being replaced by Nick Nunez.
Oregon State put it out of reach in the sixth, getting three runs – two unearned – off Nunez. George doubled in his second run of the game, then, two batters later and with two outs, Robertson reached on a California error, allowing Ogata and George to score.
Tanner Robles and Kevin Rhoderick relieved Reyes in the win. Robles came on immediately after Reyes, and went a perfect 1 1/3 inning, striking out one. Rhoderick, in his 10th appearance of the season, closed out the game in the ninth, allowing just one hit, the second of the season in 15 innings against the freshman.
Oregon State takes the week off before hosting Stanford in a three-game series at Goss Stadium that begins Friday. First pitch for the first game is slated for 5 p.m. Catch the entire series live on the Beaver Sports Network, Beaver Nation Online (www.osubeavers.com) and Yahoo! Sports.
Additionally, on Saturday in a game that begins at 1 p.m., fans who have XM Radio can catch the Beavers on channel 193 nationwide.
OSU Notes: Ryan Ortiz extended his hit streak to five games with a single in the third inning … It is the second-longest streak of the season for Ortiz, who had a 10-gamer earlier this season … The catcher has hit safely in 18 of the team’s 25 games this season … Ortiz also threw out his ninth runner of the season in the fourth inning … Oregon State has not allowed a stolen base in its last seven games and opponents in Pac-10 games are 0-for-4 on the basepaths … Jorge Reyes saw his ERA drop to 7.26 from 8.88 prior to the game.
(Los Angeles, CA) – Left-hander Gavin Brooks (2-2) limited USC to two runs and four hits in 8.1 innings Sunday afternoon as the No. 23 UCLA baseball team defeated USC, 4-2, before 1,432 fans at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Right-hander Jason Novak induced a game-ending ground ball double play in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded to earn his first career save.
UCLA (14-12, 3-3 Pac-10) salvaged the three-game series by overcoming an early 2-0, first-inning deficit against the visiting Trojans (15-15, 4-5 Pac-10). Shortstop Brandon Crawford recorded his second multi-hit game in as many days, going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Alden Carrithers went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run, belting his second solo home run in as many afternoons.
USC right-hander Brad Boxberger (1-1) was tagged with his first loss of the season, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings. Boxberger recorded seven strikeouts and did not issue a walk.
Trojan shortstop Grant Green went 3-for-5 with one solo home run, his second round-tripper in as many ballgames. First baseman Derek Perren and left fielder Taylor Grigsby were the only other Trojans to hit safely against UCLA.
In the top of the first, Grigsby led off the contest with a single up the middle and scored from first base on an ensuing double to center by Green. After advancing to third on a flyout, Green scored on a wild pitch, handing the Trojans an early 2-0 advantage.
UCLA cut USC’s advantage in half with one run in the bottom of the first. Third baseman Jermaine Curtis reached on a double to right-center field and scored on the next at-bat, as Crawford grounded a base-hit into center field.
The Bruins tied the ballgame, 2-2, with Carrithers’ home run in the top of the third.
In the bottom of the fifth, catcher Brent Dean led off the inning with a double to left field and moved to third base on a bunt single by second baseman Niko Gallego. A fly out to center field by Carrithers sent home Dean, who scored the game-winning run.
UCLA scored once in the eighth inning, as pinch-hitter Mickey Weisser grounded a two-out single under a diving Perren at first base with runners at first and second, sending home Crawford.
The Bruins return to action against UC Irvine at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Admission to Tuesday’s game for adults and children costs just two dollars.
Game Notes: Gavin Brooks pitched into the ninth inning, recording one out before giving way to Jason Novak…several lineup changes included Niko Gallego making his first career start at second base and Alden Carrithers making his first career start in left field…with the win, UCLA and USC split the four-game season series, as USC won the three-game weekend series at UCLA…each athletics department is awarded 2.5 points in the Lexus Gauntlet Challenge.
(Pullman, WA) – Junior catcher Jake Jefferies had a game-high five hits and drove in three runs, and UC Davis used a season-high 21 hits to overcome a seven-run deficit and defeat Washington State, 13-11, in a nonconference baseball game at Bailey-Brayton Field Sunday afternoon. The Aggie win evened the final series at 2-2.
UC Davis improves its overall record to 20-10 while Washington State falls to 18-12. Aside from the Aggies’ seven-run victory in Friday’s game, the final three games of the series were decided by two runs. Jefferies finished with five hits in six at bat to go with a triple and three RBI’s to pace the Aggies’ offense. Ty Kelly, Ryan Royster, Kevin James and Scott Heylman each drove in two runs and UC Davis shelled out a season-best 21 hits in the game. All nine Aggie starters had at least one hit while Ryan Scoma and Grant Hirneise rounded out seven Aggies with RBI’s.
Jim Murphy had a game-high six RBI’s and four hits along with a double and a grand slam to lead the Cogars. Shea Vucinich had three RBI’s in the game.
Washington State took a big lead early with seven runs in the first inning. Murphy opened the scoring with a grand slam. Vunicich doubled home two more runs in the inning and Travis Coulter doubled home another to cap the huge inning.
UC Davis chipped away at the lead in the second inning with four runs. James hit a two-run homer to open the scoring and Jefferies tripled to right field to drive in the other two runs.
The Aggies claimed the lead in the third inning as they matched the Cougars offensive output in the first inning with seven runs of their own to jump ahead 11-7. Heylman opened the scoring with a two-run double down the right field line. Royster, Scoma, Kelly and Jefferies singled home two more runs in the inning. The other runs came from a fielder’s choice from Hirneise.
The Cougars scored two more runs in the bottom half of the third to make the score 11-9. Murphy hit a two-run single to drive in his fifth and sixth RBI’s of the contest.
The scoring slowed down from the middle innings on as either team scored only two more runs each. The Aggies’ runs came in the sixth and ninth innings while the Cougars scored single runs in the seventh and eighth. Royster had the RBI in the fifth while Kelly hit a solo home run in the ninth. Washington State’s runs came off a single and fielder’s choice.
Tom Briner earned his first collegiate victory in the game by allowing only two runs in 3.2 innings and striking out three. Justin Fitzgerald notched his team-leading sixth save of the season as he allowed only three hits and no earned runs through the final 2.2 innings.
The Aggies continue their season-long road swing next week with a single game at Stanford on Wednesday and a three-game conference series at UC Santa Barbara.
