Two wins keep Huskies alive

Stellar pitching by sophomore Matt Kasser and freshman Kyle Parker on Saturday allowed Washington to advance to the championship round of the NCAA Oxford (Miss.) Regional baseball tournament at Swayze Field.

Parker (4-3) opened the day by registering the first complete game by a Washington pitcher this season as the 14th-ranked Huskies eliminated 15th-ranked Mississippi 7-2.

Kasser (4-0) followed with 7 2/3 strong innings during a 4-1 win that knocked out Western Kentucky.

The Huskies (39-19-1) will face Tulane today for a berth in the Super Regionals. UW must defeat the Green Wave twice to earn the coveted spot to the College World Series-qualifying tournament.

Parker, from West Valley-Yakima High, scattered seven hits, struck out seven and walked one.

The Huskies jumped on Rebels ace Mark Holliman (9-3) for five runs in the first inning. Catcher Aaron Hathaway had the key hit, a two-run triple to right-center field. The Rebels (39-21) were the regional host and top seed.

Hathaway’s solo homer in the fifth opened the scoring against Western Kentucky (35-28). Junior Kyle Larsen added a no-out, two-run shot to right in the sixth for a 3-0 lead.

Larsen also doubled to right in the eighth to give Kasser a 4-0 cushion. Kasser allowed four hits and one earned run, striking out five.

Will Fenton earned his 10th save by stranding Hilltoppers runners at the corners in the ninth.

• Right-handers Nigel Goodwin, Tyler French (1-0) and Brett Sommer combined to pitch the Spokane RiverHawks to a 5-3 win over the Kelowna Falcons in a Pacific International League opener at Spokane Falls Community College.

Goodwin made the game’s defensive gem, turning a double play after a first-inning liner back to the box. Spokane played errorless ball.

Men’s rowing

Washington defended its title by rallying to win the varsity 4 Grand Final during the Intercollegiate Rowing Association’s national championships at Camden, N.J.

The Huskies pulled even with early leader George Washington at the halfway point, 1,000 meters, and completed the Cooper River course in 6 minutes, 45.21 seconds.

GU’s varsity 4 finished ninth in the nation by placing third in the Petite Final.

The Bulldogs timed 7:04.54. Ohio State won the Petite Final in 7:00.70, with Army second at 7:02.46.

GU’s varsity 4 team members were Mara Oblak, Mark Voorhees, Pat Haffey, Connor Barry and Nathan Wilson.

Five other GU boats have finished in the national top 10, including the third-place effort of the freshman 4 in 1999.

This year, GU’s freshman 4 placed 15th in the nation with a third-place finish in the Third Level Final.

Undefeated Harvard won the varsity 8 Grand Final in 5:53.18. Washington (5:58.03) overcame California in the final 200 meters to take second.

UW won the junior varsity 8 Grand Final in 6:06.94. The Huskies JV capped an unbeaten season.