Clem leads offensive surge

[img1]The bats came alive in the Washington baseball team's 11-9 victory over St. Martin's last night, but the gloves and arms were conspicuously absent.

Husky left fielder Zach Clem hit two home runs and drove in five to help Washington (28-15 overall, 6-6 Pac-10) overcome three errors and erratic pitching.

"I saw the ball well and just tried to take good hard swings," Clem said. "I just try to hit the ball as hard as I can every time."

Clem wasn't the only Husky hitter to get things done against the Saints. Washington's four starting infielders -- Curt Rindal, Ryan Anderson, Danny Cox and Matt Stevens -- all had two hits each and at least one double. The infield combined to score six runs and drive in four.

"We can be pretty explosive offensively [when everybody in the lineup is hitting]," coach Ken Knutson said.

He was not as pleased with the team's defensive effort. Starter Kyle Parker began strong but ran into trouble in the third when the Saints scored three runs on four hits and the first Husky error. Parker ended up allowing four runs (two earned) over four innings of work.

After he left, Bryce Mooney entered for the blink of an eye, allowing three runs (two earned) and retiring just one. After Mooney, Nick Haughian pitched 1.2 innings and allowed a run.

Brandon McKerney and Nick Hagadone put up zeros in both the seventh and eighth to set up sophomore Richie Lentz to enter with a four-run lead in the ninth.

Lentz gave the Dawgs a scare, as the third Husky error and a pair of Saints runs brought the tying run to the plate, and caused Knutson to send junior Tim Lincecum to warm up in the bullpen. But Lentz bore down and finished it off, retiring the final batter on a groundout to second.

"It worries us some," Knutson said of the defensive woes. "We didn't play particularly well on the defensive side. I thought Parker pitched particularly well but we didn't support him."