Washington defeated Michigan 7-1 on May 21 to secure a place in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Huskies improved their season record to 25-31 with this win and will face Oregon in the next round, which marks the start of single elimination play.
The victory is significant as it keeps Washington’s postseason hopes alive and demonstrates strong pitching and offensive efforts. The game was highlighted by senior right-hander Jackson Thomas, who struck out nine batters—a career high—while allowing only one run over six innings. The Huskies’ defense also played a key role by leaving 11 Michigan runners stranded on base.
Blake Wilson contributed early offense with a two-run home run in the second inning, his third of the season. Sam DeCarlo added an RBI double in the third inning, helping Washington build an early lead. Although Michigan scored on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, Mic Paul extended Washington’s advantage with a two-RBI single in the seventh.
Jackson Hotchkiss hit a notable home run in the eighth inning that traveled 433 feet into center field at Charles Schwab Stadium Omaha—a rare feat achieved by only eight other players since the stadium opened fifteen years ago. With this homer, Hotchkiss tied for second-most home runs in a season for Washington and became just the third player in program history to reach twenty home runs during one year.
Bryce Johnson closed out the game for Washington after entering with two outs and bases loaded in the seventh inning. He recorded three strikeouts over his 2.1 innings pitched and earned his second save of the season while allowing just one walk.
Washington collected seven hits overall—five going for extra bases—and their pitchers combined for thirteen strikeouts against five walks while again stranding eleven runners from Michigan. The Huskies are scheduled to return to action against Oregon on Friday, May 22 at 7 p.m.
