Huskies Fall To OSU On Day One Of Pac-12 Tournament, 13-8

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The Washington Huskies took the field tonight against Oregon State in Round 1 of the inaugural Pac-12 Baseball Tournament in Scottsdale Arizona. Facing the fourth-ranked team in the country was a challenging draw, but the Huskies battled. OSU got out to an early 2-0 lead in the second but the Huskies clawed back with one in the third followed by a big five-run fourth. The Beavers answered in the bottom half with five of their own, including a three-run home run. It didn't deter the Dawgs though, as they retook the lead in the fifth putting two more on the board to make it 8-7. The Beavers answered again in the bottom half with three of their own however, then quieted Husky bats the rest of the way pulling away for a 13-8 win.

TOP OF 1
McKay Barney flew out to right field to lead off the game. Cam Clayton went down swinging for the second out. Johnny Tincher stepped in next and singled through the left side. The inning came to a close though, as Will Simpson went down on strikes.

BOTTOM OF 1
Engman started strong with a strikeout on four pitches. A walk followed however, to put a runner on. A fly ball to left field fell out of the glove of AJ Guerrero to put two on. A wild pitch got away from catcher Johnny Tincher just enough to advance the runner on second over to third.  With runners on the corners, Engman then delivered another strikeout. A walk followed to load the bases with two down, but a chopper beyond second was fielded by Josh Urps and flipped to Clayton on the base for out number three.

TOP OF 2
Guerrero led off with an unassisted ground out to first. Coby Morales saw a strike and then walked on four straight balls. A Michael Snyder ground ball to short however, would end the inning with a double play.

BOTTOM OF 2
The Beavers led off with a base hit to left. A line drive up the middle past a diving Cam Clayton put two aboard. A sacrifice bunt followed to move both runners into scoring position.  With one out, a full count pitch just missed the low and away corner to load the bases. A balk was issued to Engman as he faked a throw over to third. Runners moved up 90 feet putting the Beavers on the board first. A ground ball to Urps at second brought out number two, but also plated another OSU run. A routine ground ball to Clayton finally delivered out number three.

TOP OF 3
Christian Dicochea led off with a strong drive to right, but the fielder was able to catch it on the run for the first out. Next up, Urps drove a base hit to center field. Barney followed with a single to center of his own. It was Clayton's turn next and he drove a shot that got by third plating Urps all the way from second for the first Husky run of the game.  The pitcher then snagged a ball off Tincher's bat and fired to second for one, but the throw to first was late putting runners on the corners. Simpson stepped up next and made solid contact, but flew out to center.

BOTTOM OF 3
OSU's number four batter led off with a grounder through the right side for a base hit. The next batter pulled a line drive to left, but Coby Morales ranged over to make the catch and fired to first almost doubling up the runner. A fly ball to Barney in center put two outs on the board. The next batter flared one into shallow left center to put runners on the corners. A breaking ball in the dirt then handed second base to the base runner who was off on the pitch. The next offering from Engman however, delivered a swinging strike three to end the inning.

TOP OF 4
Guerrero got things started in the fourth with a base hit to right center. Morales' second walk of the game would put two on. Snyder followed with a fly out to second. Dicochea stepped in next and drove a line drive off second base that shot into right field scoring Guerror to tie the game at twos.  Morales was able to make it to third to put runners on the corners. The situation was enough for the Beavers to go to their bullpen. Urps welcomed him with a line drive to right center sending Dicochea to second and scoring Morales for the 3-2 Husky lead. Back at the top of the order, Barney drove a grounder up the middle past the diving shortstop to score Dicochea and put runners on first and second.  Clayton then came up and roped a shot down the left field line into the corner for a two-run double to make it 6-2 Huskies. Tincher went down on strikes for the second out and another pitching change was made. Simpson dug in and drove a shot deep to left center, but the left fielder ranged over to end the inning.

BOTTOM OF 4
Cole Miller took over in center for Barney to start the inning. A line drive double to the wall in right center led off the inning for the Beavers and triggered a call to the bullpen.  RHP Case Matter took over on the mound. A wild pitch would send the runner over to third. A grounder up the middle would make it a 6-3 ballgame putting a runner on first. The runner took off for second drawing a throw from Tincher. The ball got by into the outfield handing the runner third base, still with no outs. A full count walk followed to put runners on the corners. Another pitching change brought RHP Josh Emanuels to the hill. A breaking ball in the dirt sent the runner on first over to second. With two now in scoring position, the batter caught a fastball up and hit it over the fence in right field to tie the game 6-6. A blooper into shallow right followed to put a runner on. The next batter sent a high chopper just over Simpson's mitt.  Urps was able to field it behind him, but the throw to Emanuels on the bag was just late to put two runners on. Another bloop into no man's land in shallow right center proved challenging, but Morales came up with the defensive play of the day and laid out for a much-needed catch.  The next batter drew a walk on nine pitches to load the bases and another full count walk put the Beavers on top 7-6. Ryan Velazquez took over on the mound and delivered a ground ball to Urps at second to kick off a double play to end the inning.

TOP OF 5
Guerrero started off the inning driving a pitch low in the zone to center field for a base hit. Morales followed, but went down swinging for the first out. Snyder dug in and drove a double to the wall in left center scoring Guerrero all the way from first to tie the game at seven-a-piece.  Dicochea came up next and hit a chopper to the shortstop who made a strong throw across to barely get him for out number two.  With Snyder now on second, Urps stepped in and went the other way dropping a single into left field scoring Snyder to take back the lead, 8-7. A swinging strikeout by Miller ended the top half, but not before the Dawgs had retaken the lead.

BOTTOM OF 5
Back at the top of the order, OSU's lead off batter drew a seven-pitch walk. A deep ball toward the corner in left sent Guerrero back for the catch. His momentum took him just deep enough to allow the runner on first to tag up and take second. The next batter walked to put two aboard with one out. A grounder up the middle would drive in a run for OSU and leave runners on first and second again.  The Dawgs then brought RHP Stefan Raeth to the mound. A double to center snuck just over Miller's head for a two-run double to make it a 10-8 ballgame. The next two batters went down swinging to end the fifth.

TOP OF 6
With another pitching change, Clayton led off the inning, but went down swinging. Tincher followed with a line drive to left, but a Simpson ground ball to short would lead to an inning-ending double play. 

BOTTOM OF 6
Clayton charged a hit from the first batter, fielded it, and made an off-balance throw to Simpson for out number one. A flare over second had Urps quickly retreating and reaching up for the inning's second great defensive play. Raeth then sat the next batter down swinging as the Huskies answered with a 1-2-3 inning of their own.

TOP OF 7
Guerrero jumped on a 1-0 pitch and drove a base hit to left center. Morales followed going the other way with a single to left center as well. Snyder and Dicochea were unable to capitalize as both went down swinging. Urps stepped up with a single to right, but a hard throw home had Guerrero out on a slide at the plate.

BOTTOM OF 7
OSU led off with a single through the right side. A pair of wild pitches would move the runner to third setting him up to score on a sacrifice fly to center field.  With the score now 11-8, a grounder to Urps brought out number two. The Beavers responded with a home run to right center making it 12-8. A grounder up the middle followed to put a runner on. The next batter drove another base hit to center resulting in runners on the corners.  Coach Meggs went to his bullpen once again bringing in LHP Stu Flesland III who sat the next batter down looking at a fastball on the inside edge.

TOP OF 8
A Miller grounder to short was out number one. An injury to the pitcher brought in a new arm. Clayton drew a walk and quickly advanced to second on a wild pitch. Tincher ripped a shot through the legs of the shortstop to put runners on the corners. Simpson and Guerrero went down swinging however, to end the top half of the eighth.

BOTTOM OF 8
The lead off batter ripped a line drive above Urps, but a quick jump led to an easy catch for the second baseman. The next batter hit a grounder to the left side. Snyder made an incredible diving play, hopped up, and fired over to first. The runner was initially ruled out, but it was overturned upon review.  A failed pick off attempt got by Simpson and sent the runner all the way around to third. A sacrifice fly to right followed to make it a 13-8 ballgame. A line drive to the wall in left followed to put a runner on second with two outs. Next came a high pop fly to short that Clayton put away to end the eighth.

TOP OF 9
Morales led off with a fly ball down the left field line, but the fielder got there in time for the first out. Snyder jumped on the first pitch of his at bat and dropped one into shallow left field. Dicochea followed with a chopper to second. Snyder was out at second on the play, but Dicochea just beat the throw to first. With the Huskies down to their last out, Urps stepped in. Eyes widened as he launched a deep ball over the fence down the right field line, but it was just foul. He would then go down swinging for the final out. 
 

• Starter Jared Engman went 3 innings giving up 3 runs on 5 hits with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. 
• Ryan Velazquez took the loss moving to 3-1 on the season. He went 1 inning giving up 3 runs on 1 hit with 2 walks and no strikeouts.
• The Huskies return to Scottsdale Stadium tomorrow to take on the loser of the Cal/UCLA game. That game began at approximately 10 PM as it followed immediately after this game which ran four hours and 32 minutes.