University of Washington
Sacramento State
Baseball Wins Sixth Straight; Beats Sacramento State
February 27, 2004 | Baseball
Feb. 27, 2004
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Husky freshman starter Richie Lentz struck out eight over five innings as the 22nd-ranked Washington baseball team extended its winning streak to six games with a 4-2 win over Sacramento State Friday at the Riverside Baseball Invitational Tournament.
Lentz, a right-hander from Woodinville, improved to 1-1 on the season, allowing two runs on three hits and four walks in his five innings of work. Fellow freshman Kyle Parker (Yakima/West Valley HS) worked three no-hit innings, fanning five, and All-America closer Will Fenton threw a perfect ninth inning for his third save.
The UW handed Hornets ace Ethan Katz (3-1) his first loss of the season. Katz allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out nine in six innings.
Washington improved to 6-1 on the season while Sacramento State dropped to 9-7.
The Hornets needed only one hit to score two runs in the second inning. Husky freshman starter Richie Lentz opened the inning by walking Andy Hnilo. Hnilo moved to second on a bunt and third on a wild pitch before scoring on a balk. Buddy Morales, who also walked, eventually scored on a Ronnie Machado groundout, giving Sacramento State a 2-0 lead.
The Huskies got a run back in the bottom of the second when they loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. John Otness, who'd started the two-out rally with a single to center, scored when Morales, the Sacramento catcher, threw wildly on a pickoff attempt at first.
The UW tied it in the third. Brent Lillibridge singled to lead off. He stole second and moved to third on another errant throw from Morales. First baseman Kyle Larsen reached on an infield single to score Lillibridge, tying the game at 2-2. In the fourth, right fielder Ben Johnson belted a two-out solo homer, his first of the year, to give Washington its first lead, 3-2.
Lillibridge singled and scored on a Taylor Johnson double in the fifth to increase the Husky lead to 4-2. Lillibridge finished 2-for-4 with two runs and a stolen base and Taylor Johnson went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI to lead the UW offense. No other Husky and no Hornets had more than one hit on the night.
The Huskies take on UC Riverside Saturday in a 4:00 p.m. game before closing out tournament at 11:00 a.m. Sunday vs. Oregon State.
LINESCORE #22 Washington 4, Sacramento State 2 Sacramento State 020 000 000 -- 2 3 2 Washington 011 110 00x -- 4 8 1 Ethan Katz, James Wheeler (8) and Buddy Morales. Richie Lentz, Kyle Parker (6), Will Fenton (9) and Aaron Hathaway. W - Lentz (1- 1). L - Katz (3-1). Sv - Fenton (3). 2B - CSUS, Ronnie Machado; UW, Taylor Johnson. HR - UW, Ben Johnson (1). T - 2:44. A - 126. Records: CSUS 9-7, UW 6-1.
