SEATTLE – Husky starting pitcher Tyler Davis likes facing the Oregon Ducks. A lot.
The previous time he faced the Ducks in his three-year career was during his freshman season in 2012. That night on March 17 he made his first career start and threw six scoreless innings in a 5-0 win, allowing three hits to pick up his first Husky win.
Saturday night at Husky Ballpark Davis nearly duplicated his only other appearance against the Ducks, shutting them down for 7 and 2/3 innings to lead 14th-ranked Washington to a 1-0 win over No. 19 Oregon. The series is now even at one game apiece and a 3 p.m. rubber match scheduled for Sunday (Pac-12 Network).
Davis stymied the Ducks’ hitters all night. He struck out a career-high 10 batters and lasted longer than any outing in his career. He threw 89 pitches, allowed three hits, didn’t allow a walk and hit one batter in improving his record to 6-1 on the season and lowering his ERA to 1.16.
“I pretty much only threw fastballs and change ups,” Davis said following the Huskies first victory over a ranked team in four tries. “They were really aggressive on the fastball, so I was able to change speeds and they were pretty much out in front of it all game.”
The Ducks outhit Washington 5-2 and the Huskies did not have a hit after the third inning. But behind Davis and reliever Troy Rallings, two hits combined and one run was enough.
Matt Crook, who was a supplemental first round pick at 35th overall by the Miami Marlins, started the game for the Ducks, but had to come out of the game in the bottom of the third inning with one out after suffering an injury to his pitching arm.
Crook’s replacement Trent Paddon stuck out Braden Bishop before walking Andrew Ely. Ely advanced to second on a wild pitch and came around to score the only run of the game on a Robert Pehl double down the left-field line.
Ely was the only other Husky to have a hit on the night, collecting a single in the first inning to extend his hit streak to 18 games.
The Huskies were in very few jams throughout the game, but Rallings got himself into dangerous territory in the ninth inning. The sophomore got the first two outs quickly but struggled to get the last out. After a single, walk and infield single, Rallings got pinch-hitter Shaun Chase to line out to left field to end the game.
For Rallings, he earned his fourth save in four chances.
The win keeps the Huskies (21-6-1, 9-2) in first place in the Pac-12 standings, one game ahead of Oregon State who had their own 1-0 win over Stanford Saturday.
Oregon dropped to 22-8, 7-4 on the season.
The Huskies send right-handed pitcher Jeff Brigham (4-0, 1.59) to the hill against Oregon right-hander Jeff Gold (7-0, 2.15) Sunday.
#14 Washington 1, #19 Oregon 0
ORE 000 000 000 –- 0 5 0
WASH 001 000 00x –- 1 2 0
Tyler Davis, Troy Rallings (8) and Austin Rei. Matt Krook, Trent Paddon (3), Jordan Spencer (7), Porter Clayton (8), Stephen Nogosek (8) and Shaun Chase. W – Davis (6-1). L – Paddon (0-2). Sv – Rallings (4). HR – none. 3B – none. 2B – UW, Robert Pehl. Time – 2:34. Attendance – 763.
