However you want to look at this past season for the Husky baseball program, what's clear is that it is on an upward trend. Despite losing two out of three in their NCAA Regional tournament appearance, they put up a valiant effort, losing both games by a combined three runs. 

This year marked their second NCAA Tournament appearance in the last three years, and it's clear that Lindsey Meggs has found the right formula, inspiring his players to play with confidence. Before this year, Meggs' seventh as Husky head coach, the program has made one NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004 and had been picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12 Conference.

Even with a relatively young roster, the Huskies finished second in the conference, and were playing for the conference championship heading into their final weekend series against eventual champion Utah. 

In their first game against UC Santa Barbara, the Huskies battled through 14 innings before losing in heartbreaking fashion. Designated hitter Austin Bush hit a walk-off home run to lead off the 14th inning, sending a 1-1 pitch from pitcher Alex Nisbitt over the fence in right field to win the game 3-2. Noah Bremner started the game and was phenomenal, throwing nine innings allowing only one run on four singles. Bremner retired the final 16 batters he faced but did not figure into the decision. 

UW bounced back in their next game against hosts Vanderbilt, who were playing with heavy hearts after freshman Donny Everett died in an accidental drowning the Thursday prior. The Huskies mounted an impressive comeback, rallying from a 8-2 deficit to win 9-8. Joey Morgan hit a three-run bomb in the seventh before center fielder hit a two-run homer to give the Dawgs their first lead of the game and plate the eventual winning run.

Unfortunately they couldn't rally all the way back again, as they fell just short the next day against Xavier, losing 7-5 in their final game of 2016. The Huskies again fell behind early, down 7-0 by the time the third inning rolled around. After sputtering out of the gate, the pitching staff was able to hold Xavier the rest of the way, but the 7 run hold proved to big for the offense to overcome.

Looking ahead to 2017, Lindsey Meggs' men should be in good shape. They graduate only six seniors and therefore should be able to keep their core in-tact. Blend the postseason experience that this group is receiving with an incoming recruiting class that figures to be one of the best in school history, and the program could be making its first ever College World Series appearance.