SEATTLE, WASH. - Sophomore third baseman Lucas Erceg hit a home run to right field in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie and rally Cal baseball to a 3-2 victory over Washington Friday night at Husky Ballpark in Seattle. With the victory, the Golden Bears bumped their record to 16-5 overall and 3-1 in the Pac-12.

Cal also received stellar relief pitching from seniors Chris Muse-Fisher and Dylan Nelson. Lefty Muse-Fisher (2-1) pitched the seventh and eighth innings yielding a hit with no walks and two strikeouts to earn the win. Right-handed closer Nelson pitched the ninth inning, and after giving up a lead-off hit, was able to close out the game by striking out the final two batters to earn his third save of the season.

The Bears started the evenings scoring with a run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by freshman catcher Brett Cumberland, scoring sophomore center fielder Aaron Knapp. Cal jumped to a 2-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI triple to right field by freshman shortstop Preston Grand Pre.

Washington was able to tie the game, 2-2, in the bottom of the fourth when Levi Jordan had a two-run single off of Cal freshman right-hander Jeff Bain (6.0 innings, five hits, two runs, two walks, three strikeouts).

But Bain was able to hold down the Huskies the next two innings before being relieved by Muse-Fisher and setting up Erceg's eighth inning heroics.

"It was a great team win for us," said Cal coach David Esquer. "We pitched well and came up with some clutch hits, and none bigger than Lucas Erceg's home run. It is big for us to win on Friday night in the Pac-12."

Cal will play the second game of the three-game conference series Saturday, March 21 at 2 p.m. at Husky Ballpark.