Struggles at the plate have mounted, and the Washington baseball team has been unable to score runs against Pac-10 opponents.

This past weekend’s series against UCLA is just one example; the Huskies managed to score just five runs in three games, getting shut out in Saturday’s tilt against the Bruins.

Aside from Kyle Conley — the team’s leading home run and RBI producer — the Huskies’ offense has been stymied, thanks to injuries and lack of power in the middle of the order. Even Conley was limited to just one hit in Los Angeles.

But the UW’s first baseman, Troy Scott, who was largely expected to improve over last year’s solid freshman season and add pop to a desperate lineup, has been in somewhat of a slump in his sophomore season.

“It’s not what I want to be doing,” Scott said. “I want to be doing what Conley’s doing.”

The left-hander from Auburn, Wash., is hitting .244 with four home runs and 14 RBI, and unless he turns things around, Scott will fall short of last year’s .260 batting average, seven home runs and 36 RBI.

“He’s been pressing, I’m sure,” said UW head coach Ken Knutson. “I think early in the season, he didn’t have much to show for his work. He hit a lot of balls hard for outs. But he’s a selective hitter, and sometimes he gets in trouble for not swinging at more pitches, [not] being more aggressive.”

Knutson expected Scott’s numbers to stand out more this year, but he doesn’t have any qualms about the way he has played.

Scott has 24 walks, second-most on the team after Conley, and he has yet to commit an error this season. Sometimes, it’s not about the numbers, but about how the game is played.

“He has [improved], but baseball is funny like that,” Knutson said. “I’m sure he wishes his production was better. I’ve seen signs over the last couple of weeks of him getting better. It takes time, so hopefully he’ll start heating up.”

The Huskies could use some added firepower in a lineup that is batting .262 and has struck out 330 times. And today against Portland, Scott and the Dawgs will have a chance to regroup in a non-conference game before heading to Eugene, Ore., for another weekend Pac-10 road trip against Oregon.

Reach reporter Allen Wagner at sports@dailyuw.com.