Huskies Begin Big Ten Tournament Run Against Ohio State On Tuesday

Tuesday, May 19

Omaha, Neb. / Charles Schwab Field

7:00 p.m. PT

University of Washington

Ohio State

Huskies Begin Big Ten Tournament Run Against Ohio State On Tuesday

May 18, 2026 | Baseball

UW Notes

OMAHA, Neb. - Washington begins its Big Ten Tournament on Tuesday night against Ohio State at 7 p.m. PT. It will be the fourth game between Ohio State and Washington this year after the Huskies took the series in the regular season, 2-1.

Tuesday's game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network with live stats available at Huskystats.com.

DAWG BITES

Jackson Hotchkiss launched his 19th home run of the season against UCLA on Friday, setting a new career-high. He now ranks 32nd nationally in total home runs and 12th in home runs per game (0.44).
With his 19th home run of the year, Hotchkiss moves up to a tie for No. 3 in the Husky record books for the most home runs in a single season, in a tie with Joe Wainhouse (2018), Kyle Conley two times (2008 & 2009), and Dominic Woody (1999). With one more home run, Hotchkiss would become just the third player in program history to reach 20, joining Zach Clem (20 - 2006), and record holder Chad Boudon (22 - 2003).
Hotchkiss leads the team in batting average (.354), slugging percentage (.743), on base percentage (.424), runs scored (45), hits (62), home runs (19), RBIs (45), and total bases (130).
Washington took down No. 1 UCLA on Thursday night, 8-0, to clinch their spot in the 2026 Big Ten Tournament. It was Washington's first win over a No. 1 overall team since taking down No. 1 Oregon State 8-4 on March 25, 2018.
The Husky pitching staff ranks among the top teams in a number of pitching metrics. They're ranked 55th in walks allowed per nine innings (3.88), 58th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.25), 61st in WHIP (1.43), 81st in hits allowed per nine innings (8.96), and 90th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.7), and 92nd in earned run average (5.31).
The Huskies have launched 62 home runs, the 11th-most in the Big Ten and 99th in the NCAA.
Washington has thrived this season when getting the offense going early. The Huskies are 16-9 when scoring first and 13-8 when scoring in the first inning.
The Huskies are 19-8 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 No. 11 seeded Huskies take on the No. 6 seeded Ohio State Buckeyes for their first action in the Big Ten Tournament on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. PT. Depending on the result, Washington will face either Rutgers or Michigan on Wednesday. The Huskies need two wins to secure a place in the quarterfinal round, which begins on Friday.

HUSKIES THUMP NO. 1 UCLA
Washington earned its most impressive victory of the season on Thursday, dismantling No. 1 UCLA 8-0 at Husky Ballpark. The Huskies earned their first win over a No. 1 opponent since defeating No. 1 Oregon State on March 25 in 2018. It's also the Bruins' first road loss of the season, their second conference loss, and just their sixth loss overall.

The Huskies didn't back down when facing the top-ranked team in the nation and turned in a dominant performance on both sides of the ball. Defensively, the Huskies allowed just three hits while earning the shutout. Jackson Thomas diced up the Bruins offense. The senior right-hander claimed his second win of the year while throwing 6.0 innings with just three hits and four walks allowed against two strikeouts.

Offensively, the Dawgs started the scoring in the fourth inning with Colton Bower's first home run of the day. He launched a solo shot to left field, going 368 feet and 107 miles per hour off the bat. It would be the first hit of a busy day for Bower, who finished 3-4 with two home runs, a triple, three runs scored and three RBI.

The Huskies did the bulk of their damage in the fifth inning, hanging a five on the scoreboard. Casen Taggart, Braeden Terry, and Sam DeCarlo each tallied an RBI before Colton Bower did more damage. Washington's designated Hitter blasted his second bomb of the day, this one 394 feet the center to bring the Huskies up to a 6-0 lead. Bower would score the next run for the Huskies as well, coming home on a wild pitch after hitting a triple in the seventh. Braeden Terry closed out the scoring in the eighth, sending home Swidler on a sacrifice fly.

Gunnar Nichols took over for Thomas on the mound in the seventh and was dominant. The senior righthander didn't allow a single hit over his three innings and had just one baserunner. He earned his first save of the season while striking out three batters in the contest.

In total, Washington finished with nine hits, five of which were for extra bases. Bower led the way with three knocks, while Blake Wilson and Braeden Terry each had two.

HOTCHKISS STAYS HOT
Jackson Hotchkiss launched his 19th home run of the season on Friday against No. 1 UCLA, setting a new career high. He now ranks 32nd nationally in total home runs and 12th in home runs per game (0.44).

With his 19th home run of the year, Hotchkiss moves up to a tie for No. 3 in the Husky record books for the most home runs in a single season, in a tie with Joe Wainhouse (2018), Kyle Conley two times (2008 & 2009), and Dominic Woody (1999). With one more home run, Hotchkiss would become just the third player in program history to reach 20, joining Zach Clem (20 - 2006), and record holder Chad Boudon (22 - 2003).

FINDING SUCCESS AGAINST FAMILIAR FOES
The Huskies have tallied three ranked wins this season, each against a former Pac-12 foe. The Dawgs knocked off No. 13 Oregon State 18-2, took down No. 13 Oregon 9-5, and most recently handed No. 1 UCLA just their second conference loss of the season in an 8-0 shutout.

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 42 consecutive starts and been the best offensive output for Washington. He's tallied a .354 batting average while scoring 45 runs on 62 hits, all team-high marks. He has the most home runs on the team (19) and is pacing the Huskies in slugging percentage (.739), the 24th-best mark in the NCAA, and in total bases (99).

Hotchkiss has been one of the best hitters in the Big Ten, leading the conference in home runs per game (.44) while ranking in the top 10 in slugging percentage, home runs, hits per game, runs batted in per game, total bases, annd runs per game.

LET KENNEY COOK
Noah Kenney has set career-high marks on multiple occasions this season, 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 (77.2) and strikeouts (85) of any Husky. The right-hander has 14 appearances and 13 starts this year, pitching more than four innings in all but one of his appearances. Among his starts, he's thrown at least five innings in all but two, including at least six innings in six of his last eight 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 23, 21 of which have been in relief, also leading the team.

His four saves this year rank eighth in the Big Ten.

CERTIFIED BAG GETTERS
Washington has stolen 71 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 and Jackson Hotchkiss both have seven steals and Landon Young both have six. Washington's opponents have stolen only 43 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 55th in walks allowed per nine innings (3.88), 58th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.25), 61st in WHIP (1.43), 81st in hits allowed per nine innings (8.96), and 90th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.7), and 92nd in earned run average (5.31).

TRIPLE THREAT
The Huskies have knocked 19 triples this season, the most in the Big Ten and the sixth-most in the NCAA. Braeden Terry has the most on the team with four, Blake Wilson and Colton Bower both have three, Sam DeCarlo, Mic Paul, Casen Taggart, and Landon Young all have two, and Jackson Hotchkiss has one. The Huskies are averaging 0.35 triples per game, leading the Big Ten and 13th in the NCAA.

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 62 homers, the 11th-most in the Big Ten and the 99th-most in the NCAA. Jackson Hotchkiss leads the way with 19, Colton Bower has 12, Sam DeCarlo is up to seven, and Daniel Porras has six.

Washington has recorded at least one home run in 18 of the last 22 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
20 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, Nolan Rowe, Kevin Spear, Ethan Swidler, and Landon Young. Pitching debuts include Carson Boesel, Bryce Johnson, Noah Kenney, Hayden Lewis, Liam Lierman, Cooper McBride, 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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