University of Washington
UCLA
Huskies Host No. 1 UCLA With Big Ten Tournament Berth On The Line
May 12, 2026 | Baseball
All three games will be broadcast on Big Ten Network with live stats available at HuskyStats.com.
DAWG BITES
- Jackson Hotchkiss launched his 18th home run of the season at Penn State on Friday, setting a new career-high. He now ranks 26th nationally in total home runs and 10th in home runs per game (0.45).
- With his 18th home run of the year, Hotchkiss moves up to No. 7 in the Husky record books for the most home runs in a single season, in a tie with Will Simpson (18, 2023). The single season record is 22 from Chad Boudon in 2003.
- Hotchkiss leads the team in batting average (.368), slugging percentage (.767), runs scored (44), hits (60), home runs (18) RBIs (43), and total bases (125).
- The Husky pitching staff ranks among the top teams in a number of pitching metrics. They're ranked 46th in walks allowed per nine innings (3.80), 51st in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.31), 67th in WHIP (1.44), 90th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.8), and 98th in hits allowed per nine innings (9.16).
- The Huskies have launched 59 home runs, the 10th most in the Big Ten and 88th in the NCAA.
- Washington has thrived this season when getting the offense going early. The Huskies are 15-8 when scoring first and 13-8 when scoring in the first inning.
- The Huskies are 18-8 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
The Huskies host No. 1 UCLA for a three-game series at Husky Ballpark starting on Thursday. The series has postseason implications for the Dawgs who can secure a spot in the Big Ten baseball tournament with at least one win in the series.
B1G TOURNAMENT
Washington is looking for a second consecutive berth to the Big Ten Tournament after making the trip as the No. 5 seed in 2025, the team's first season in the conference. The Huskies sit in 12th, with the top 12 teams advancing to Omaha. With a win over UCLA, Washington can secure a spot in the tournament.
SPLIT THE DOUBLEHEADER AT PENN STATE
Washington took game one 5-4 and fell in game two 6-4 in a doubleheader against Penn State on Friday.
Washington took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of game one and held the one-run advantage for 4.5 innings. In the bottom of the fifth, the Nittany Lions scored on a two-run home run to jump in front, 2-1. The Huskies scored on a groundout in the seventh to tie the game before Ethan Swidler tagged a three-run home run in the eighth to put the Dawgs back in the lead. It would be just enough for the Huskies to absorb another two-run home run from Penn State in the bottom half of that inning.
The Huskies hung on to secure a 5-4 win in the series opener, thanks in large part to 6.0 innings of work from Jackson Thomas and Swidler's three-run blast. Colton Bower saw his first action since April 11, batting as the designated hitter. He started the day 2-2 with two doubles. Six of Washington's nine hits were for extra bases, including Washington's 17th triple, Braeden Terry's team-leading fourth three-bagger of the year.
Tommy Brandenburg was credited with the win while Carson Boesel earned his first save of the year.
HOTCHKISS STAYS HOT
Jackson Hotchkiss launched his 18th home run of the season at Penn State on Friday, setting a new career high. He currently ranks 10th in the NCAA in home runs per game (0.45) and 26th in total home runs despite missing the first month of the season.
With his 18th home run of the year, Hotchkiss moves up to No. 7 in the Husky record books for the most home runs in a single season, in a tie with Will Simpson (18 home runs in 2023). The single season record is 22 from Chad Boudon in 2003.
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.
HOTCHKISS ON A HEATER
Jackson Hotchkiss has been on an absolute tear this season. After missing the month of February due to injury, he's made 39 consecutive starts and been the best offensive output for Washington. He currently has the 10th-best home runs per game mark in the nation (.45). He's tallied a .368 batting average while scoring 44 runs on 60 hits, all team-high marks. He has the most home runs on the team (18) and is pacing the Huskies in slugging percentage (.767), the 12th-best mark in the NCAA, and in total bases (125).
Hotchkiss has been one of the best hitters in the Big Ten, leading the conference in home runs per game (.45) while ranking in the top 10 in total home runs, batting average, slugging percentage, hits per game, RBIs per game, and runs per game.
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 against the Spartans, 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 12 starts and has the most innings pitched (74.2) and strikeouts (83) of any Husky. The right-hander has 13 appearances and 12 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 all but one, including at least six innings in six of his last seven games.
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. He's also claimed two wins on the season and leads the team in total appearances at 20, 18 of which have been in relief, also leading the team.
His four saves this year rank 133rd in the NCAA and eighth in the Big Ten.
CERTIFIED BAG GETTERS
Washington has stolen 70 bags this season, the fourth-most in the Big Ten. Mic Paul leads the team, stealing safely on 11 of his 14 attempts while Sam DeCarlo has 10 steals and Blake Wilson has nine. Aidan Dougherty has seven steals and Hotchkiss and Landon Young both have six. Washington's opponents have stolen only 42 times and have been thrown out on 17 attempts.
HUSKY HURLERS
The Husky pitching staff ranks among the top teams in a number of pitching metrics. They're ranked 46th in walks allowed per nine innings (3.80), 51st in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.31), 67th in WHIP (1.44), 90th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.8), and 98th in hits allowed per nine innings (9.16).
Washington tied a season-high 17 strikeouts last Tuesday against Portland, the third time this season the Huskies have fanned 17 batters. 17 strikeouts is the most the Huskies have had in a single game since April 9, 2021 (20 Ks vs. ASU).
TRIPLE THREAT
The Huskies have knocked 17 triples this season, the most in the Big Ten and the ninth-most in the NCAA. Braeden Terry has the most on the team with four, Blake Wilson has three, Sam DeCarlo, Mic Paul, Colton Bower, and Landon Young each have two while Casen Taggart and Jackson Hotchkiss have one each. The Huskies are averaging .33 triples per game, the 14th-most in the nation.
Terry is 33rd in the NCAA in total triples and 84th in triples per game (0.08).
HOME RUN HUSKIES
Washington has brought the boom this season to the tune of 59 homers, the 10th-most in the Big Ten and the 88th-most in the NCAA. Jackson Hotchkiss leads the way with 18, Colton Bower has 10, Sam DeCarlo is up to seven, and Daniel Porras has six.
Washington has recorded at least one home run in 16 of the last 19 games. The Huskies have slugged four home runs in a game on three occasions this season, most recently at Minnesota on April 10, the first game of a double header.
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
This year, the conference announced the voted top-six finishing programs.
1. UCLA
2. Oregon
3. USC
4. Nebraska
5. Indiana
6. Iowa
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