Lancers Make a Statement In Washington

Monday, April 8

Seattle

7:00 PM

California Baptist University

20-12

Washington

15-12

Cal Baptist

Washington

Photo by: Andrew Shortall

Lancers Make a Statement In Washington

4/8/2019 9:54:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Andrew Shortall, Director of Athletics Communications

SEATTLE – All season long, California Baptist University has not shied away from tough non-conference matchups and the Lancers had another one when they visited the University of Washington at Husky Ballpark Monday night.

Just like it has all season long, CBU made a big statement in a 3-2 loss to the Huskies. Washington has been ranked in the NCAA Division I top 30 this season, and was one of the best teams in the country last year.

The Huskies were one of the final eight teams left standing before being eliminated by eventual national champion Oregon State in the 2018 College World Series. They improve to 15-12 this season, while CBU moves to 20-12.

The Lancers were led by a great pitching performance from Andrew Bash and a strong day at the plate from Harrison Spohn on Monday. Bash threw six shutout innings of relief in which he struck out eight, just two off his career high. Spohn went 2-for-4 on the night with an RBI triple.

CBU returns home for a Western Athletic Conference series with CSU Bakersfield Friday through Sunday. The three-game set opens at 7 p.m. at Totman Stadium on Friday, with the third Fireworks Night of the year scheduled for after Saturday's 6 p.m. game. The series ends on Sunday at noon.

Washington struck first on Monday after putting its first five runners of the game on base. Reliever Travis Booth limited the damage, though. He came on with no outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the first and retired all three batters he faced to keep CBU's deficit at a manageable 3-0.

CBU was kept off the scoreboard up until the seventh inning. Nick Plaia drew a one-out walk in the inning and scored on Spohn's triple.

CBU strikes for two runs in the top of the seventh to bring its deficit to 3-2 against Washington. Harrison Spohn lands the big blow of the inning with an RBI triple, scoring Nick Plaia, who drew a one-out walk. #LanceUp pic.twitter.com/1PyK70DoBM
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) April 9, 2019

Jeff Bruyntjens then plated Spohn with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to center field to make it a one-run game, 3-2.

Jeff Bruyntjens then scored Harrison Spohn with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to center field. The Lancers trail Washington 3-2 going into the bottom of the seventh. #LanceUp pic.twitter.com/xQRfAP4IBK
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) April 9, 2019

The Huskies loaded the bases, looking for an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh. Bash ended the threat and kept momentum with the Lancers with his eighth strikeout of the game. Matt Mogollon then retired Washington 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth to give CBU a shot in the ninth.

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Big-time strikeout from Andrew Bash ends the seventh inning with the bases loaded with Huskies. The Lancers keep momentum, still down just one (3-2) going into the eighth.

Bash has thrown six shutout innings with eight strikeouts now.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/vyUITpr252
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) April 9, 2019

Rory Smith continued to work counts before eventually fouling out on a full count. Plaia put the tying run on base with a walk, but could not move up as Washington recorded the final two outs to preserve the win.