University of Washington
USC
Huskies Beat #22 USC With Big Fifth
April 21, 2006 | Baseball
April 21, 2006
LOS ANGELES - Despite having his scoreless innings streak come to an end at 37 and one-third innings, Husky ace Tim Lincecum picked up his ninth win of the season as the Washington baseball team beat 22nd-ranked USC, 7-2, Friday night at Dedeaux Field.
The game was billed as a duel between Lincecum, the 2004 Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year, and USC's Ian Kennedy, who won that honor last year. Both were preseason All- Americans in 2006. Lincecum (9-2) came out on top. After allowing two runs in the first, the right-hander didn't have much trouble the rest of the way. He threw six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out 11.
Kennedy (3-5) gave up seven runs (four earned) on seven hits over four and two-thirds innings for the Trojans (22-17 overall, 8-5 Pac-10). Washington improved to 26-14 and 5-5 in conference play.
Lincecum's string of consecutive scoreless innings ended at 37 and one-third innings when USC scored a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the first inning. After singles from Blake Sharpe and Daniel Perales, Trojans designated hitter Baron Frost doubled to drive in the two baserunners, staking the Trojans with a 2-0 lead.
Washington, however, came up with all the offense it would need in the fifth, breaking through with seven runs. Freshman center fielder Brett Kaluza singled, stole second and moved to third on a single from Ryan Anderson, who lined a ball off of Kennedy's leg. Freshman DH Jake Rife then grounded to third base, allowing Kaluza to cross the plate. Matt Hague followed with a single through the right side, driving in Anderson to tie the game at 2-2.
Kennedy walked the next two Husky hitters to load the bases before Husky catcher Matt Lane doubled to left-center field to drive in two more, putting the UW on top, 4-2. Bradley Boyer followed the double with a ground ball, but USC third baseman Matt Cusick's throw to first got away and allowed two runs to score and the inning to keep going. Husky third baseman Matt Stevens finished Kennedy's evening with a ground-rule double down the right-field line, making it a 7-2 Husky lead.
The Trojans' first inning and the Huskies' fifth accounted for all the scoring and most of the hits in the game. Anderson led the Husky hitters with two singles, a run and an RBI. No other UW batter had more than one hit. Blake Sharpe led the Trojans with two singles.
Despite seeing his streak broken, Lincecum has allowed only three earned runs on 19 hits over his last 59 innings. During that span, he has gone 6-1 with two saves.
Saturday, the sries continues with a 1:00 p.m. game from Dedeaux Field. The game will air live in the Seattle area at KKNW AM-1150.
LINESCORE Pac-10 Conference Game Washington 7, #22 USC 2 Washington 000 070 000 -- 7 8 0 USC 200 000 000 -- 2 7 1 Tim Lincecum, Nick Hagadone (7), Elliott Cribby (9) and Matt Lane. Ian Kennedy, John Dunn (5), Shawn Olsen (7), Steve Martlaro (8), David Parrow (9), Ryan Schlack (9) and Johnny Bowden. W - Lincecum (9-2). L - Kennedy (3-5). 2B - UW, Lane, Matt Stevens; USC, Baron Frost. T - 3:11. A - 756.
