Pullman, WA—The Washington State Baseball Team banged out 14 hits off of five UC Riverside pitchers Thursday evening, en route to an 11-3 victory over the Highlanders in the first game of the teams' four-game series.
UC Riverside got off to a promising start in the top of the first as Dante Chupek led off the game with a double to left field, moving to third one out later on a Robby Witt single to left. Chupek came home to score moments later when Witt got caught in a run down trying to steal second.
Highlanders' starter Keaton Leach (1-1) allowed two base runners in the bottom of the first, but worked his way out of the jam. He wasn't so fortunate in the bottom of the second.
Tyler McDowell drew a one-out walk, advancing to second on a wild pitch. Shane Matheny then doubled to left center to tie the score at one. The next batter, Jack Strunc, hit a pop fly in foul territory down the first baseline, but it bounced out of first baseman Drake Zarate's mitt for an error. Strunc took advantage of the extra swings by lacing a single through the left side to put runners on first and third. Leach then plunked Wes Hatten to load the bases.
Hatten was erased on PJ Jones' fielder's grounder to third, but Matheny scored to put the Cougars on top. Ian Sagdal's single up the middle scored Strunc to make it 3-1 Washington State (5-4), before Ben Roberts flied out to left to end the inning.
The Highlanders (5-5) battled back, though, with a two-out rally in the top of the fourth that tied the score at three. Vince Fernandez drew a walk, and Joe Chavez doubled to left center slicing the Cougars lead in half. Mark Contreras then singled up the middle scoring Chavez with the Highlanders' third run of the evening.
The game didn't stay tied long as Strunc led off the Washington State half of the fourth with a single to left, and Hatten homered to left center. After getting Jones to ground out to short, Leach was lifted for Cody Rogina, but the junior battled wildness during his brief appearance, hitting the first two batters he face and walking the third loading the bases.
Joie Dunyon came in in relief of Rogina, and was met with a single by Cameron Frost which scored one run, but Roberts was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning. Dunyon then struck out McDowell for the third out of the frame.
The Highlanders offense tried to battle back in the next half inning, loading the bases with just one out, but they were unable to score on Alex Rubanowitz's fielder's choice, and Chupek was thrown out at the plate on Vince Fernandez's chopper to the mound keeping UC Riverside off the board.
Washington State went on to score two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, two in the seventh and one in the eighth.
Meanwhile Cougars relief pitcher Matt Bower pitched two hitless innings in the seventh and eighth, and Ryan Walker did likewise in the ninth to secure the victory.
Game two of the four-game series between Washington State and UC Riverside is scheduled for Friday, February 27 at 6 pm PT.
