SEATTLE -- The Washington Huskies (8-6) used a big sixth inning on Saturday afternoon to help finish off a sweep of the Seattle U Redhawks (5-8) at Husky Ballpark.
Trailing 4-3 going into the bottom of the sixth, UW rallied to score 3Â runs and take a 6-4 lead that would hold for the rest of the game and give the Huskies their fourth straight win and their first series sweep since February of last season when they swept Fresno State.
As they did on Friday night, the Redhawks jumped on UW early, with a deep RBI double into the right-center field gap giving them an early 1-0 lead.
Will Simpson had an emphatic answer in the second, as he launched a deep home run to center field to tie the game at 1-1.
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The Huskies kept the pressure on that inning, as they loaded to bases for
Braiden Ward, who was then hit by a pitch to force in a run and give UW a 2-1 lead.
However, Seattle U responded in the next half inning, as a two-run home run to right-center put the Redhawks right back on top, 3-2. That would be it for Husky starter
Adam Bloebaum, who exited after 2.2 innings, giving up three runs on five hits, while striking out two.Â
Seattle U would double its lead in the fifth on an RBI single to make it a 4-2 game.Â
UW once again had a quick answer, as
Dalton Chandler lifted a solo home run over the wall in left field, his second of the series, to cut the deficit to one run.Â
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The Huskies then rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Making his first start of the year,
Karl Koerper battled to a full count before ripping a 103 mph single into right field. With
Nick Kresnak pinch-hitting, Koerper would go to second on a passed ball and then to third when Kresnak singled into right.Â
Emilio Corona came in to run for Koerper and would score the tying run on a wild pitch.
Dalton Chandler stayed hot with the bat, as he singled into left field to score Kresnak and give UW a 5-4 lead. A bases-loaded walk by
Will Simpson would make it a 6-4 game, which was plenty of cushion for the Husky bullpen at that point.Â
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"I think Dalton is growing," said head coach
Lindsay Meggs. "He's working and he's got a better plan. We're trying to get him to stick to that plan which is to try to think middle, use the middle of the field and good things will happen. He's a strong, explosive kid and he's getting better every day. He's a hard worker."
Stefan Raeth had entered in the fifth inning and pitched through the sixth, throwing 1.2 innings of hitless baseball and earning the win. True freshman
Case Matter came in and worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning, while
Dylan Lamb earned his first save of the year, striking out the Redhawks' third and fourth hitters in a perfect ninth.
Next up for Washington is Pac-12 play, with the USC Trojans coming to Husky Ballpark for a three-game series, with game one scheduled for Friday, March 19.
Husky Notes
