NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The Washington State baseball team picked up its first victory of the 2015 season as the offense propelled the Cougars past Texas-Arlington, 8-2, at the SFA Tipton Ford Classic.
The Mavericks (0-2) took advantage of Cougar miscues to take an early lead. A two-out walk and wild pitch in the top half of the first, put Levi Scott in scoring position for Jackson Morris. Morris singled to right advancing scoring Scott, putting the Mavericks on the board. UTA threatened again but couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity.
After falling behind early, the Cougars (1-1) answered quickly and never looked back. P.J. Jones led the rally charge with a one-out, infield single. Ian Sagdal singled to right with two outs, moving Jones to third before Patrick McGrath reached based on a hit-by-pitch. With the bases loaded Wes Hatten singled to left field, knocking in a pair giving the Cougars a 2-1 lead. The Cougars added to their lead as Jones scored Jack Strunc with his second single of the afternoon and Cameron Frost picked up an RBI off a fielders’ choice plating Shea Donlin.
UTA’s and final run came in the fifth inning when Will Olson singled in Morrison after a lead-off double.
The Cougars helped clinch the victory with a four-run eighth. The first run came off of Strunc’s bat as he led off the inning smacking his first home run in a WSU uniform. Later in the inning, with two outs, after three consecutive walks, Jones, who finished 3-for-4, scored his second run of the day on a wild pitch by Keenan Hall. The Cougars tacked on two more in the inning, one off error by third baseman Eric Tate and the other on Hatten’s third single of the day.
“There was a step-up in intensity today and that was nice to see,” said WSU Head Coach Donnie Marbut. “We have a lot of young kids who are getting comfortable in their roles and they will get better.”
In a relief effort, freshman Tyler McDowell (1-0) picked up his first win in a Cougars uniform going 1 2/3 innings, striking out one. In his Cougar debut, starting pitcher Jesse Houser threw two innings, allowing only one run, giving up just two hits while striking out one and walking four.
Ryan Walker, Matt Bower and Ian Hamilton all made their first relief appearances of the year. Walker went 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits, striking out three, while Bower was perfect over 1 2/3 innings striking out two. All-American Ian Hamilton saw an inning of work, closing the door on the Mavericks in a non-save situation.
“For the second-straight day our bullpen was really good,” said Marbut. “I thought Tyler McDowell did a nice job in his Cougar debut.”
The Cougars continue play at the SFA Tipton Ford Classic, Sunday, Feb. 15 as they take on Missouri State at 10 a.m. PST.
--wsucougars.com--
