This week in baseball: UW opens 2014 season in Texas

The Washington baseball team opened its 2014 season this weekend with four games at the Texas State tournament in San Marcos, Texas. The Huskies were able to finish the weekend 2-1-1 and will hit the road again next weekend as they travel to Surprise, Ariz. for the Big Ten vs. Pac 12 Tournament.

Weekend Recap

Game 1: Air Force 14, Washington 9- The Huskies scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 9-7 lead, but the Falcons answered with seven runs over the next two innings to hand the UW its first loss of the season.  Junior Robert Pehl led the Huskies at the plate going 3-5 with a home run, double, and three RBI’s. Senior Trevor Dunlap took the loss in relief.

Game 2: Washington 8, Michigan 6 (10 innings) - Junior Alex Schmidt was the hero of the night as the Huskies earned their first victory of the season in extras. With the Huskies trailing 6-4 in the eighth inning, the third baseman from nearby Mukilteo tied the game with a two run home run off the Wolverines Jake Balicki. After a one-out single by Jack Meggs in the tenth inning, Schmidt ended the night with a two-run, walk off blast. Junior Tyler Davis earned the win after pitching a scoreless tenth.

Game 3: Washington 6, Texas State 1- After sitting out the 2013 season due to Tommy John surgery, junior Jeff Brigham threw five innings of one-run ball as the Huskies went on to beat host Texas State. Juniors Andrew Ely and Trevor Mitsui each hit home runs for the Huskies. Tyler Davis threw four innings of scoreless relief.

Game 4: Washington 6, Michigan 6 (8 innings)- In a rematch of Friday’s nightcap, the Huskies rallied from six down to tie the Wolverines in their final game of the tournament. The UW fell behind 6-0 in the games first three innings, but a Trevor Mitsui double drove in two to put UW on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. A bases clearing single in the top of the fifth by sophomore Brendan Berry cut the Husky deficit to just two runs, and a Braden Bishop sacrifice fly tied the game 7-7 in the sixth. The game was cut short because both teams had to catch flights home.

Weekend Leaders

Junior Andrew Ely led the Huskies at the plate going 6-14 with a home run and 2 RBI’s. Trevor Mitsui and Alex Schmidt knocked in the most runs for the UW, with each tallying 6 RBI’s. Schmidt leads the team in home runs with two.

Jeff Brigham had the best pitching performance of the weekend giving up just one run over five innings against Texas State. The junior gave up one run on a solo blast, allowing just three hits and recording two strike outs.

Coming Up

The Huskies will face Indiana, Nebraska, and Michigan State beginning Friday in Arizona. On Monday they will face Pac-12 rival Oregon State. The Huskies return home and will play at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma on Feb. 28 against UC Davis. The new Husky Stadium will be opened on Friday Mar. 21 against Arizona.

Who’s excited for some Husky Baseball? Leave your thoughts and observations in the comments section below.

Follow Erik on Twitter