March 23, 2004

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - The University of Washington Huskies (13-6-1) only punched out 10 hits on Tuesday afternoon but took advantage of the fact that five of those 10 hits were home runs as Washington swept the season series against the Gonzaga University Bulldogs (8-14) with a 12-5 non-conference win at Avista Stadium. Washington won all three games earlier this season in Seattle before winning yesterday and today's contests in Spokane. Gonzaga jumps back into West Coast Conference action this weekend with a trip to Loyola Marymount University.

Gonzaga scored first against the Huskies for the second straight day as Chris Sinner led off the game with the first of his two doubles. He would advance to third on the play as the Washington outfield bobbled the double hit into the left center gap. Marshall Bratton hit a sacrifice fly to right to stake Gonzaga to the 1-0 lead.

Washington responded with three runs in the top of the second as Kyle Larsen and Ben Johnson hit back-to-back two-out home runs against Bulldogs starter Chris Albrecht. Brent Lillibridge added an RBI double to put the Huskies in front 3-1.

The Bulldogs used the long ball to their advantage in the bottom half of the second as sophomore Bobby Carlson collected his first collegiate hit, a two-run home run against Washington starter Jordan Ponzoha. Ponzoha would work into the fourth inning before Trent Baysinger (2-1) relieved him, Baysinger going 3.1 innings to pick up his second win of the season. Carlson was responsible for Ponzoha's exit from the game in the fourth after hitting an RBI double down the right field line.

After watching the game move into a 3-3 tie, Washington again jumped back into the lead as Ben Johnson hit his second home run of the game in the fourth inning against Darrin Trautmann (0-1). Johnson's three-run shot put the Huskies up for good in the game before Zach Clem and Taylor Johnson added solo home runs in the top of the ninth. Washington also scored four unearned runs in the seventh as Clem connected for a two-run double and Aaron Hathaway hit a sharp RBI single. In the seventh Bulldogs second baseman Brad Welker was removed from the game after taking a ball off the head during a stolen base attempt at second.

Sinner led the Bulldogs nine-hit attack with three hits while Kiel Thibault, David Johnson and Carlson each had two hits for Gonzaga. Clem, Larsen and Ben Johnson all had two hits for Washington.