Courtesy of San Diego State Athletics

SEATTLE – San Diego State registered its third straight victory on Saturday, prevailing by a 3-2 count over Washington in a pitcher’s duel at Husky Ballpark.

After collecting a season-high 16 hits the series opener on Friday the Aztecs (7-3) were limited to just five game two. However, three SDSU hurlers limited the Huskies (1-9) to just four hits of their own to help secure the win.

Aztec starter Drew Talavs (2-1) earned his second victory of the season after allowing just one run on two hits and three walks while tying his career high with eight strikeouts in six innings. Reliever Simon Lemke fanned two batters in his lone inning of work, while Connor Abadie pitched the final two frames, preserving the win with a game-ending strikeout for his first collegiate save.

Talavs survived a shaky first when UW grabbed the lead on Mic Paul’s RBI single, plating Casen Taggart, who led off with a double to the wall in right center. The SDSU right-hander quickly worked out of a jam after Paul stole second, however, freezing Braeden Terry on a called third strike before inducing a groundout by Ty Cowan following a walk to Aiden Dougherty.

The Aztecs threatened in the second on a two-out double by Zach Justice, while Dawson Santana was hit by a pitch. However Husky starter Jackson Thomas avoided trouble thanks to an inning-ending groundout by Anthony Marnell IV.

Thomas retired the next seven batters before issuing a walk to Santana with one out in the fifth. The UW right-hander followed his ninth strikeout of the game and appeared to have Zane Kelly on the ropes with an 0-2 count. However, the junior outfielder gave the SDSU offense the jolt it needed by smacking Thomas’ next offering for a double to deep right field, as Santana circled the bases to even the score at 1-1.

Stung, Thomas gave up a triple to Max Farrell just two pitches later, with Terry’s diving attempt in left coming up empty. Kelly cruised home from second, putting the Scarlet and Black in front for good, 2-1.

Thomas returned for the sixth, but Jake Jackson’s greeted the Husky hurler with a solo blast to deep center field on the second pitch of his at-bat, giving the visitors a 3-1 advantage.

In the interim, Talavs found his rhythm after his first-inning hiccup, retiring 15 of 17 batters in one stretch when he issued walks to Blake Wilson in the second and Sam DeCarlo in the fifth.

The SDSU staff did not miss a beat when Simon Lemke replaced Talavs to start the seventh. The Aztec reliever looked just as sharp, striking out Bower and Wilson after Cowan’s pop fly.

UW finally ended its scoring drought against Abadie in the eighth when DeCarlo led off with a double and eventually crossed the plate on consecutive groundouts by Taggart and Daniel Porras.

SDSU withstood some anxious moments in the ninth when Cowan singled through the left side after back-to-back groundouts by Terry and Dougherty.

However, Abadie flashed his mettle by freezing Bower with a called third strike, sending the Aztec dugout into another frenzy.

Despite his nine strikeouts, Thomas (0-1) was saddled with the loss after giving up all three runs on four hits and two walks in six innings, while Bryce Johnson pitched the rest of the way, offsetting one hit and one walk with a trio of strikeouts.

SDSU combined for 11 strikeouts for the night, marking the eighth time in 10 games it has surpassed the double-digit barrier in that category.

With his triple, Farrell has reached base safely in all 10 outings this year.

Jabin Trosky came up empty at the plate on Saturday, snapping his nine-game hitting streak to begin the season.

San Diego State continues its extended series against Washington with game three on Sunday slated for a 1 p.m. PT start. The Aztecs-Huskies showdown will air live on Big Ten Network+. SDSU is expected to start Carson Johnson (0-1), while UW is projected to counter with Gunnar Nichols (0-0).