Coach Meggs Earns 300th Husky Win At ASU In 11 Innings
A three-game winning streak brought Coach Lindsay Meggs to the doorstep of win number 300 at the University of Washington, but a desperate Arizona State team stood in the way. The Huskies were unable to find their footing in the first two games of the series, but the Huskies hit the field today sporting their purple uniforms and refused to be denied.
1st Inning
Following a leadoff walk to McKay Barney, Johnny Tincher singled to center. Will Simpson then drove a ball deep to left center, but an early 3-0 lead was not in the cards as the ball fell just a couple feet short and found leather. A double play ball ended the inning.
In the bottom half, RHP Case Matter took the bump and started strong with two K's and a fly out to right.
2nd Inning
Following a couple quick ground outs, Cam Clayton drove a single to right, but a strikeout followed to end the top half.
A 93mph Matter fastball earned a flyout to right on the first pitch. The next batter worked a full count before connecting on a ground-rule double that bounced over the fence in right center. A ground ball to Michael Snyder at third earned out number two and a backwards K ended the inning to keep the game scoreless.
3rd Inning
Urps started with a drive to the left field warning track, but saw his ball caught. McKay Barney followed with a base hit to the shortstop who had to rush a less than accurate throw to first. Tincher followed with a fly out to right for out number two. Simpson stepped in ready to make things happen and ripped a shot to left center, but an impressive diving catch put an end to the Huskies half of the inning.
In the bottom half it was Urps to Simpson for a 4-3 out number one. Batter number two drilled a grounder that connected with Matter on the mound. He instinctively jumped up, found the ball, and threw a strike to first for out number two. He'll have a bruise, but he toughed it out and continued on earning a swinging strikeout to end the inning.
4th Inning
AJ Guerrero had enough of this scoreless game, stepped in with one out, and drove a homerun over the 395 sign in center field. Snyder followed with a single to left field, but was sent in as Clayton reached on a fielder's choice. Next up, Cole Miller drove a double to right field, advancing Clayton to third. Fate smiled on the Dawgs next as a balk by the pitcher advanced the runners, bringing in the second run of the inning. Josh Urps kept the momentum going with a single to right, scoring Miller and triggering a pitching change. Next up, Barney ripped a grounder past the third baseman who was playing in for the fifth hit of the inning, but that would be it as the Huskies took a 3-0 lead into the bottom half.
Matter earned a fly out to center to start things off. While solid all day long, the next batter finally got to him however, with a homerun to center. A grounder to Clayton at short briefly slipped out of his mitt, but he recovered in time and threw a laser beam to Simpson at first for out number two. Matter stayed in his groove and struck the next batter out looking at a nasty breaking ball.
5th Inning
Simpson led off the inning with a strong drive down the left field line earning him a safe slide into second. Coby Morales popped up next, but the Arizona sun was a killer and the thirdbaseman lost the ball awarding Morales with a base hit. Guerrero reached next on a 6-5 fielder's choice. With runners on first and second, Snyder took a pitch off his shoulder to load up the bases with just one out. Clayton took advantage sending a line drive to left field scoring Morales and signaling another pitching change. Unfortunately, a Miller grounder to short kicked off a double play to end the top half of the fifth with the Huskies up 4-1.
Matter continued on the mound at 55 pitches and got a ground ball to Snyder behind third who made a strong throw across the diamond for out number one. Left-handed batter number two was able to inside-out the ball dropping it into shallow left field. Matter was able to sit the next batter down swinging at an elevated fastball for his sixth strikeout of the game. He then got out of the inning with a fly ball to Barney in center.
6th Inning
Following an Urps flyout to left, Barney found himself on first base for the fourth time today with a full count walk. Tincher singled to center next putting two aboard. Morales was up next, but luck was not on his side. A hard groundball found its way into the pitcher's glove as he blindly reached back. An easy throw to first closed things out.
Matter faced the ASU lineup's leadoff batter who quickly made it a 4-2 ballgame with a homerun to center. He would then hand the ball over to Josh Emanuels following a respectable outing and the Huskies on top. Emanuels quickly fielded an easy chopper and tossed it to first for out number one. An always-tough pop up in the sun was battled and beat by Urps at second who hauled in out number two. Cole Miller came through with no worries, securing out number three on a fly ball to right field.
7th Inning
Snyder sent a one-out base hit to right for his third visit to the basepaths. A pitch to Clayton's left tricep put runners on first and second and triggered a call to the bullpen. Miller followed with a pop out to second. Then, a hard Urps grounder to first for the unassisted put out closed out the seventh with the Dawgs clinging to a 4-2 lead.
Emanuels' first pitch drew a soft grounder to Urps at second for the 4-3 out. The next batter lifted a Texas leaguer into shallow left to put an ASU runner on. Emanuels got the third batter to chase a hanging breaking ball for the second out and got out of the inning with a routine fly to Barney in center. Score remained 4-2.
8th Inning
Barney sliced a fly out to left for out number one. Tincher rolled over on a grounder to short for the second out of the inning. Simpson put a charge into one next, but it fell just short into the left fielder's glove on the warning track.
RHP Ryan Valazquez come in to start the eighth and walked the leadoff batter. A ground ball to Simpson at first started a double play, but Velazquez' foot was slightly off the bag leaving the runner safe at first. Soon after, Tincher attempted to throw out the stealing runner, but the ball bounced past Clayton's glove into center field advancing the runner to third. A ground out to second base did its job for ASU to put another run on the board. The next batter ripped a double to left center to put the tying run aboard, but a pop out to Simpson at first got the Huskies out of a jam leaving the Huskies up 4-3.
9th Inning
Morales connected on a grounder down the line that was fielded by the first baseman, but the throw was late getting to the pitcher on the bag. Next, Guerrero lifted one to center, but the fielder was able to shield the sun with his glove and make the catch. ASU went to their bullpen once again. Snyder jumped on the first pitch, but popped out to the second baseman behind first base. With two outs, Clayton stepped in next and sent a line drive deep down the right field line, but a running catch was made sending the Huskies to the bottom of the ninth looking to protect a 4-3 lead.
Velazquez returned to the mound. A lead off single to right put a runner on for the Sun Devils. Coach Meggs wasted no time and headed to the mound to bring in RHP Stefan Raeth. The batter squared to bunt and lifted a pop up to a charging Simpson from first for out number one. Things were looking up, but the next batter jumped on a 2-2 pitch and drove it into right center for an RBI double tying the game at 4-4. The next batter went down on three quick strikes and a ground out to Urps at second sent things to the tenth.
10th Inning
Cole Miller squared one up, but right into the first baseman's glove for out number one. Next up, Josh Urps put a line drive base hit into left field to get things started for the Dawgs. Barney put the ball in play next, but reached on a fielder's choice with the second baseman throwing to the shortstop at second. Tincher stepped to the plate next, but delivered ASU a ground ball out to the shortstop.
The first out of the inning came on a ground ball to new second baseman Jarred Mazzaferro. Luke Rohleder hauled in the second out of the inning in right field. The third batter of the inning followed with a base hit to center to make things interesting. A high bouncer followed sneaking between third and short to put runners on second and third. The play of the day came next however, as a foul ball sent Tincher racing to the back wall where he laid out and hauled in out number three.
11th Inning
Eager for some majic, Simpson dug in and lumbered up a full count pitch sending it over the left field fence to put the Huskies back on top. It was his second home run in as many days. Ben Smith came in to DH, but went down on strikes. Luke Rohleder singled through the right side to put a runner on. Snyder came up next and sent one off the end of the bat to the pitcher who sent it on to first for out number two, but not before Rohleder was able to advance. Clayton stepped in with a runner in scoring position and drove a line drive RBI double to left field. It was his team-leading third hit of the day. Miller went down on strikes next to send things to the bottom half with the Huskies looking to hang on once again.
ASU's leadoff batter sent a high chopper toward short, but Clayton charged, made the play, and fired to first for one out. A line drive base hit to left followed putting a runner on. Next came a monsterous drive to center that sent Barney toward the wall in a hurry, fighting the sun. He was not to be denied however, as he battled and hauled in the catch as he fell to the ground. LHP Adam Bloebaum was brought in to capture the final out. He started the batter off with a strike before getting him to ground out to Simpson at first who fired over to Clayton at second for the final out.
Huskies win 6-4 in 11.
Starter Case Matter had a phenomenal day on the mound going five innings, giving up just two earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
Today was about Coach Meggs though. Win number 300. A truly epic accomplishment!