Things weren’t looking good for the Husky baseball team midway through the second inning yesterday afternoon.

The Dawgs (15-22) found themselves down 4-0 to the Portland Pilots (20-18) — and that’s when the Husky bats came alive.

After scoring a total of five runs in the past three games, the UW got back on track with a four-run third inning en route to a 6-5 comeback win at a sunny Husky Ballpark.

“It was a great win,” said head coach Ken Knutson. “I thought it showed a lot of character [to come back], and we’ve been doing that a lot this year. We haven’t given up by any means.”

The Pilots jumped to an early lead after Husky starting pitcher sophomore Ben Guidos gave up four runs in the top of the second inning before being replaced by Seth Haehl. The freshman from East Wenatchee, Wash., performed well and pitched five scoreless innings.

“I brought him early because I thought it was a really good matchup,” Knutson said. “The sinker-baller against those right-handed bats was a good matchup for us.”

Despite coming in earlier than normal in the second inning, Haehl (2-1) gave up only five hits, no runs and struck out two for his second win of the season.

“I felt great,” Haehl said. “I just [went] out, threw my game, let the defense work, and we put up some runs. Can’t ask for any more.”

First baseman Troy Scott got things started on offense for the Huskies as he drove in the first run before Kyle Conley hit a two-run blast in the third inning for his 14th home run of the year.

The Dawgs tacked on another run in the fourth inning, and designated hitter Jake Rife hit his third homer of the year in the 5th inning to give the Huskies a two-run lead.

“Rife has been good all year,” Knutson said of the senior from Arlington, Wash. “He hits left-handed pitching real well.”

The Pilots threatened to come back as they picked up one run in the top of the eighth, but pitcher Brian Pearl secured the UW’s 15th win of the year.

“Winning certainly gives you confidence, and losing makes it hard to feel good about yourself,” Knutson said. “So it was a big one in that respect. We needed to get it back in the win column.”

Rife and freshman centerfielder Caleb Brown led the way for the Dawgs with four hits each. The UW combined for 15 hits as a team.

“Brown has been doing spectacular since we started playing him in Gonzaga,” Knutson said. “He’s one of our best hitters, and you can see him growing as a player.”

The win ended a three-game losing streak for the Dawgs. They hope to carry their momentum this weekend as they travel to Oregon for the first time since 1981, when the Ducks dropped their baseball program.

“It’s exciting and nice having them in the league,” Knutson said of the University of Oregon, which restarted its program this year. “They’ve been pitching well and playing good defense, and we’re going to have to do those things, too. I imagine the games will be low scoring, but we’ve got to go out and execute.”

Reach reporter Taylor Soper at sports@dailyuw.com.