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Huskies Use Long Ball to Defeat Texas State in Series Opener

by gohuskies.com
Apr 16, 2021

SEATTLE -- The Washington Huskies (13-16) used a flurry of home runs to beat the Texas State Bobcats (15-20) on Friday evening at Husky Ballpark by a score of 10-5.

"It's nice to be rewarded. It's nice to see guys take good at-bats. It's nice to pick up the pitchers," said head coach Lindsay Meggs. "It's nice to be able to send (Logan Gerling) out there and let him throw 100 pitches, do his thing and get him some runs."

Christian Dicochea started the game off with a bang, depositing a two-strike fastball over the wall in right field for his first career home run.
 

"My approach the last two weeks was right-center, let the ball travel," Dicochea said of the at-bat. "I got a fastball up to elevate and just let the wind take it out."

Christian Jones had the next long ball, a 445-foot blast to center field that scored Ramon Bramasco and made it a 4-0 lead for the Huskies. 
 

Braiden Ward then broke the game wide open in the fifth inning, when he hit one out over the right field fence for his second home run of the season, which put UW up by a score of 9-2.
 

Logan Gerling took the mound for the Huskies and delivered his third straight quality start and the fourth in his last five outings. He conceded two runs on a two-run home run in the fourth, but was able to keep the Bobcats in check beyond that. He finished with 6.0 innings pitched, allowing two runs on seven hits, while striking out four. 

"It's just being consistent," Gerling said of his string of quality outings. "The one thing we preach as pitchers is if you want to be taken seriously, be consistent. I'm sticking to my routine, taking my breathing and getting in that rhythm."
 
Out of the bullpen, Gabe Smith tossed a 1-2-3 seventh, but Texas State was able to plate three runs in the top of the eighth. Stefan Raeth entered with one out and a man on second with the score 9-5 in favor of UW. While he walked a batter, bringing the tying run to the on-deck circle, he got the last two outs of the inning to prevent further damage. After a passed ball scored Will Simpson and gave the Huskies a 10-5 lead, Raeth stayed in and threw a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the victory.

The second game of the three-game series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon with a 2:00 p.m. first pitch at Husky Ballpark.

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