SEATTLE – Sophomore Malcolm Moore got Stanford (8-7, 2-1 Pac-12) on the board first with a solo home run in the first inning on Sunday, but Washington (4-7-1, 1-2 Pac-12) scored seven runs in the third to cruise to a 9-2 victory and salvage a three-game series.
Stanford starter Nick Dugan allowed just a two-out single in the second inning over the first two frames, striking out three, but immediately ran into trouble in the third. Blake Wilson doubled to start the rally before a hit-by-pitch and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out. Washington tied the game on a fielder's choice before back-to-back doubles from Jeter Ybarra and AJ Guerrero, and an RBI-single from Michael Brown, made it 5-1 in favor of Washington. The Huskies would tack on two more runs in the inning, eventually plating seven runs on four hits and four free passes.
Dugan was charged with all seven runs scored in the third, dropping to 3-1 on the year after allowing five hits and two walks while striking out three.
With raining falling nearly the entire game, Freshmen Aidan Keenan and Ben Reimers struggled a bit with command, each walking three batters, but managed to combine for 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Continuing to battle, the Cardinal scratched a second run across on an RBI-single from Trevor Haskins with two outs in the fifth, but could not muster any further offensive production.
Husky starter Spencer Dessart was credited with the victory after allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts, improving to 1-0 with the decision.
The Cardinal will return home for a three-game series with USC in Pac-12 play next weekend.
GAME NOTES:
- Despite the setback, Stanford earned the series win at Washington to open Pac-12 play.
- Stanford has won seven of its last nine games after starting the season 1-5.
- The Cardinal allowed the first run in seven of its first eight games of the season, but has now scored first in six of the last seven.
- Stanford pitchers walked 11 batters and hit one more in the loss … Sunday marked the second time Stanford hurlers issued double-digit walks this season (17 vs. Penn State on February 23)
- M. Moore (1-for-4, HR, R, RBI) has homered in back-to-back games … leads the Cardinal with five home runs and owns 20 for his career.
- Jimmy Nati (2-for-3, 2B, R) has hit safely in all but one game this season, and has reached in all 15 … recorded his seventh multi-hit game of the season.