SALT LAKE CITY – Jayson Rose tied the single-season strikeout record as the Utah baseball team dropped game one to Washington, 5-4, on Friday afternoon.
Washington took a 4-0 lead with two runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The Utes rallied back to score three runs in the sixth and tied the game with a run in the seventh before Washington scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth.
Rose had six strikeouts to bring his season total to 102, tying the record set by Jason Price in 2004. Rose allowed four runs on six hits with four walks in a no decision. Dylan Drachler, who earned the loss, allowed one run on two hits in the eighth, while Riley Ottesen closed out the game for the Utes.
Dallas Carroll went 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI to lead the Utes, as Utah out-hit Washington 10-8 on the day. Kody Davis also had two hits. Andre Jackson drove in three of Utah’s four runs on the day.
Washington put two on with one out in the first inning and a spectacular catch in center field from DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. and strikeout got the Utes out of the early jam. The Huskies also put two on in the third and again a strikeout got Rose out of the inning.
The Utes loaded the bases in the second after hits from Kellen Marruffo and Josh Rose with a walk to AJ Young but a ground out ended the threat.
Washington broke through in the fourth with a solo home run to left field. A triple also led to a run on a ground out to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead. UW added two more runs in the fifth. A pair of singles led to a run while three-straight walks walked in the fourth run of the game for the visitors for a 4-0 lead.
The Utes got on the board in the sixth inning, recording four hits and cutting the Washington lead to a run, 4-3. Cody Scaggari, Carroll and Hunter Simmons all singled setting up an RBI double from Jackson, who was thrown out at third on the play.
In the seventh, Davis singled with one out and Scaggari reached on an error to put runners at the corners for Carroll, who singled through the right side to drive in a run and tie the game at 4-4.
With one out in the top of the ninth inning, a single and RBI triple that landed just fair and bounced off the wall gave Washington the 5-4 lead.
Davis singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth and a double play ended the game.
The series continues on Saturday, May 28, at noon. The Utes need to win the next two games in order to win the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.