University of Washington
Portland
Washington Takes on Portland In Neutral Site Clash
April 20, 2026 | Baseball
The game will be broadcast on YouTube Live with live stats available at HuskyStats.com.
DAWG BITES
- Blake Wilson knocked Washington's 14th triple of the season against Michigan State, the 10th-most in the NCAA. Washington is averaging 0.36 triples per game, the most in the Big Ten.
- Jackson Hotchkiss launched his 12th home run of the season over the weekend against Michigan State, upping his new career-high. He currently ranks 66th in the NCAA in total home runs despite missing the first month of the season.
- Hotchkiss leads the team in batting average (.342), slugging percentage (.730), and home runs (12).
- The Husky pitching staff has distinguished itself among the best in the nation. The Dawgs rank 54th in walks allowed per nine innings (3.90), 55th in strikeout to walk ratio (2.32), 75th in WHIP (1.45), and 82nd in strikeouts per nine innings (9.0).
- Washington has thrived this season when getting the offense going early. The Huskies are 11-5 when scoring first and 10-5 when scoring in the first inning.
- The Huskies are 14-7 when scoring at least six runs.
- The Huskies were picked to finish eighth in the Big Ten conference by D1Baseball.
SECOND SEASON UNDER SMITH
On July 9, 2024, Eddie Smith was named the 25th head coach of University of Washington baseball, announced by UW Director of Athletics Pat Chun. Smith, a native of Olympia, Washington, comes to Montlake after three seasons at Utah Valley. Smith begins his second season at the helm of the Huskies in 2026.
UP NEXT
Washington takes on Portland in Ridgefield, Wash. for a midweek matchup. The two teams will face off in the home of the Ridgefield Raptors at the Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex.
DOWNED THE SPARTANS
Washington belted two home runs on the way to an 8-5 victory over Michigan State on Sunday afternoon. Washington struck first in the third inning, scoring five to jump in front. The Huskies led from then on.
Sam DeCarlo started the scoring with an RBI single in the third before a Blake Wilson sacrifice fly made it 2-0. Then Mic Paul laced his second career home run to make it 5-0. Paul's home run, a two-run shot, went 410 feet to deep right field and put the Huskies firmly in the driver's seat.
Taggart's home run was his second in as many days and was his third on the year. His home run went 417 feet to deep right field and restored a two-run advantage for the Huskies.
Tommy Brandenburg earned the save for Washington, his fourth of the season, by throwing 4.0 innings of scoreless ball. He allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out one batter during his outing. Hayden Lewis was credited with the win, going 5.0 innings with six hits, five runs, one walk, and three strikeouts.
DAWGS ON THE BIG SCREEN
Washington and UCLA will have all three of their games broadcast on Big Ten Network, the conference announced. The series, which will be Washington's final three home games of the season, are set to take place on Thursday, May 14, Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16.
With the move to linear television, the game times have also been adjusted. Both Thursday's and Friday's games will begin at 6 p.m. PT while Saturday's game will start at 12 p.m. PT.
LET KENNEY COOK
Noah Kenney has set career-high marks over the last few weeks, most recently setting a new career-high for innings pitched against Michigan State. The junior threw into the ninth frame on Friday, finishing with 8.1 innings under his belt just two weeks after setting a career-high mark of 7.0 innings.
During week eight of the season,Kenney was named to the Baseball America National Team of the Week. He diced up Valparaiso, leading the Huskies to a 6-0 shutout win with a career-high 14 strikeouts. It's the second award recognition of the season for the Parker, Colo. native after he was named to the College Baseball Foundation's Pitcher of the Year watch list.
Kenney has had a strong campaign so far which has garnered him the national attention. He's collected four wins in his nine starts and has the most innings pitched (58.2) and strikeouts (67) of any Husky. The right-hander has 10 appearances and nine starts this year, pitching more than four innings each time he's taken the mound. Among his starts, he's thrown at least five innings in each, including five frames of hitless ball in a win against LMU and seven innings and 14 strikeouts against Valpo.
HOTCHKISS ON A HEATER
Jackson Hotchkiss has started the season on an absolute tear. After missing the month of February due to injury, he's made 27 starts in March and April and been the best offensive output for Washington. He's tallied a .342 batting average while scoring 31 runs on 38 hits. He has the most home runs on the team (12) and is fourth in doubles (7) while pacing the Huskies in slugging percentage (.730). Despite playing in only two-thirds of the games this season, he ranks 66th nationally in total home runs.
SWISS ARMY BRANDENBURG
As both a starter and a reliever, Tommy Brandenburg has been strong option for the Huskies on the bump this season. Brandenburg currently leads the team with four saves and in ERA at 2.12. He's also claimed two wins on the season and leads the team in total appearances at 16, 14 of which have been in relief, also leading the team.
His four saves this year rank 82nd in the NCAA and seventh in the Big Ten.
B1G-TIME BOWER
Colton Bower has been one of the best offense drivers for the Huskies as of late. He claimed his first Big Ten Player of the Week award (March 9) after a massive week at the plate.
Since the beginning of March, the catcher leads the team in batting average (.422), slugging percentage (.891), and on base percentage (.493), is second on the team in total hits (27), extra base hits (14) and home runs (7).
Bower ranks 38th in the NCAA and third in the Big Ten in slugging percentage (.712), 56th in the NCAA and seventh in the conference in home runs per game (0.33), and 141st nationally and 14th in the conference in total home runs (10).
HUSKY HURLERS
The Husky pitching staff has distinguished itself among the best in the nation. The Dawgs rank 54th in walks allowed per nine innings (3.90), 55th in strikeout to walk ratio (2.32), 75th in WHIP (1.45), and 82nd in strikeouts per nine innings (9.0).
Washington had a dominant weekend at home against Valparaiso. The Huskies struck out 17 batters in back-to-back games against Valparaiso on Thursday and Friday. That mark is the most strikeouts in a single game for the Huskies since April 9, 2021 (20 Ks vs. ASU). In total, the Dawgs recorded a total of 43 strikeouts against Valpo.
TRIPLE THREAT
The Huskies have knocked 14 triples this season, the most in the Big Ten and the 10th-most in the NCAA. Braeden Terry and Blake Wilson lead the way with three, Sam DeCarlo, Mic Paul, and Colton Bower each have two while Casen Taggart and Landon Young each have one. The Huskies are averaging .36 triples per game, the 12th-most in the nation.
Blake Wilson and Braeden Terry both rank 45th in the NCAA in total triples.
HOME RUN HUSKIES
Washington has brought the boom this season to the tune of 45 homers, the 12th-most in the Big Ten and the 89th-most in the NCAA. Jackson Hotchkiss leads the way with 12, Colton Bower has 10, Daniel Porras has six, and Sam DeCarlo has five.
DAWG DEBUTS
18 Diamond Dawgs made their first career appearance so far this season. Position player debuts included Ian Draper, Ty Cowan, Aidan Dougherty, Drew Johnson, Mic Paul, Alexander Pearson, Daniel Porras, Kevin Spear, Ethan Swidler, and Landon Young. Pitching debuts include Carson Boesel, Bryce Johnson, Noah Kenney, Hayden Lewis, Liam Lierman, Jay Miller, Jack Wade, and Tyler Walker.
BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL
Despite Washington's rise from 17th place in last season's poll to a fifth place finish, the Huskies have been left out of this season's Big Ten Preseason Poll. This year, the conference announced the voted top-six finishing programs
1. UCLA
2. Oregon
3. USC
4. Nebraska
5. Indiana
6. Iowa
