The Washington Huskies' momentum came to a screeching halt Monday night, as their bats fell silent in a 9-2 defeat to the Gonzaga Bulldogs. After clawing their way back to a .500 record, the Huskies now find themselves two games below that mark, largely due to an offense that managed just four hits all evening.

Freshman starter Liam Lierman, taking the mound after a huge team win over Oregon State, couldn't replicate last week's magic. The left-hander was tagged for four runs in the first inning alone, putting Washington in a deep early hole. Gonzaga's designated hitter, Maddox Haley, delivered the crushing blow with a three-run homer in that opening frame, setting the tone for the night.

Washington showed a brief flicker of life in the fourth inning, scratching across two runs on a wild pitch and an RBI double from Ty Cowen. That double was one of the team's precious few hits, however. From that point forward, the Huskies' offense completely stalled, mustering only three more baserunners against a dominant Gonzaga bullpen.

While the Huskies' lineup struggled, the Bulldogs' kept adding on. They scored in each of the final four innings, punctuating the win with late home runs from Noah Meffert and Hudson Shupe. Gonzaga starter Finbar O'Brien earned the win with five solid innings, and relievers Landon Hood and Joe Thornton were virtually untouchable, combining for eight strikeouts over the final four frames.

Now sitting at 15-17, the Huskies look to regroup quickly. They'll return to Husky Ballpark Tuesday afternoon for a chance to split this two-game series and rediscover the offensive spark that has been missing.