April 5, 2000

Box Score

PULLMAN, Wash. -- The University of Washington baseball team hit five solo home runs, but it was two unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning that gave the Huskies an 8-7 come-from-behind victory over the Washington State Cougars in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon at Bailey-Brayton Field.

The win improved the Huskies overall record to 12-15 and provided UW with the 2-0 series win over the Cougs. WSU fell to 14-19 with the loss.

Trailing 7-6 going into the final inning, Washington plated two unearned runs to take its first lead of the day. In the ninth, with runners on first and third, freshman designated hitter Jay Garthwaite hit a popup behind first base that was misplayed to allow the tying run to score. On the very next at-bat Jefferson Thiel grounded out to second base to push the winning run across the plate.

The Cougars took control of the game early by taking advantage of three walks and a wild pitch to score five runs in the first inning. After leadoff hitter Shawn Stevenson walked, senior Ray Hattenburg doubled to right center to stake WSU to the early lead. After a walk and a sacrifice bunt to score runs, the Jordan Nilsen scored a run with a single. Freshman catcher Jon Baeder capped the scoring rally with a run-scoring fielder's choice.

UW inched back in the game in the second when Garthwaite and Theil homered off WSU starter Reggie Rivard. Rivard (0-3) left the game in the sixth with a 6-5 lead at his back, but ended with the hard-luck no-decision.

The Cougars added a run in the sixth to take the 7-5 advantage. Redshirt freshman Stefan Bailie belted his team-leading eighth home run of the year. Bailie ended the day 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a RBI. Nilsen finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 and has been the hottest Cougar as of late with a .452 (14x31) average over his last 10 games.

WSU nearly made a comeback in the ninth by putting the tying run in scoring position. With two outs, senior Zach Bode pinch hit and flied out deep to left field to clinch the Husky win.

The Huskies were led to victory by several spectacular performances from their younger players. Freshman right fielder Tyler Davidson was just a single away from hitting for the cycle with a 3-for-4 game and his first home run of the year. Garthwaite hit his third and fourth round-trippers of the year, freshman catcher Thiel hit his fourth home run of 2000, and third baseman Michael Done went deep for the second consecutive game.

Freshman lefty Cam McCoy earned his first collegiate win by contributing two innings of shutout ball. Sophomore Taylor Grant notched his fifth save of 2000 by throwing a scoreless ninth. Zach Fisher (2-2) absorbed the loss for the Cougs.

WSU will return to Pac-10 action this weekend when they host the No. 7 Stanford Cardinal to a three-game series Friday through Sunday at Bailey-Brayton Field in Pullman. Senior ace Todd Meldahl (1-3, 3.17) will square off against one of the finest pitchers in college baseball, Justin Wayne.

UW     020  102  012 -  8  11  1
WSU    500  011  000 -  7   8  2
Zack Daniels, Tyler Shepple (1), Cam McCoy (7), Taylor Grant (9), and Jefferson Thiel.
Reggie Rivard, Nick Kenyon (6), Zach Fisher (7), and Jon Baeder.
W - McCoy (1-0), L - Fisher (2-2), S - Grant (5).
HR - Garthwaite 2 (4), Done (4), Thiel (2), Davidson (2), Bailie (8).
T - 3:01, A - 433.
UW Hits - Reynolds, Erickson, Linden, Garthwaite 2, Done, Thiel 2, Davidson 3.
WSU Hits - Hattenburg, Bailie 3, Nilsen 3.
E - Robertson (5), Hattenburg (12), Nilsen (1).
2B - Thiel (4), Davidson (1), Hattenburg (11), Nilsen (9), 3B - Davidson (2).

Copy by Jeff R. Evans
WSU Sports Information