PONCE, Puerto Rico – Washington dropped the final game of the Puerto Rico Baseball Challenge on Monday, falling to Houston 8-7 at Estadio Francisco Montaner. The Dimamond Dawgs move to 0-4 on the year.

Bryce Johnson made his first start for the Huskies and went 5.0 innings, the longest start of any Washington pitcher on the opening weekend. Johnson surrendered six runs, but only two were earned as he punched out three batters of the 24 he faced.

Mic Paul kick started the Washington offense, launching a solo home run in the third inning to put the Huskies on the board. It was the junior’s first career home run and the first big fly of the season for the Diamond Dawgs. 

Houston responded with a run in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead, but the Dawgs punched right back in the bottom half of the frame. Ethan Swidler tagged his own home run, a two-run shot, to tie the game.

After falling behind 6-3 in the top of the fifth, the Huskies again came storming back to take a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the inning. Colton Bower started the scoring with a two-run double to deep center field, connecting for his first extra-base hit of the season and bringing home Braeden Terry and Mic Paul while loving Ty Cowan to third.

Daniel Porras brought Cowan in on a sacrifice fly before Ethan Swidler delivered another run with an RBI double.

In the sixth inning, Tyler Walker took over on the bump, but only faced one batter. Carson Boesel then took the mound and ultimately went for 3.0 innings, but Houston was able to plate one to tie the game in the sixth.

Jack Wade and Tommy Brandenburg combined to pitch the ninth inning, however the Cougars scored a run from a bases-loaded walk to take the lead and ultimately seal the victory for Houston.

Blake Wilson, Ethan Swidler, Mic Paul, and Daniel Porras each had multiple hits in the game while the team finished with 11 hits on the day.

Washington will return to action on Friday afternoon at LMU in Los Angeles. First pitch of the series opener is slated for 6 p.m. PT.

DAWG BITES


Ethan Swidler and Mic Paul each hit a home run in Washington’s game against Houston, the first home runs of the season for the Huskies
Wilson, Swidler, Paul, and Porras each had a multi-hit game on Monday
Mic Paul leads the team with a .400 batting average (2-5 in in two starts)
Ethan Swidler leads the team with five total hits (5-15)
Bryce Johnson and Tyler Walker made their Husky debuts on Monday, making it 17 Huskies who have made their debut this season

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