March 4, 2000
Box Score
BERKELEY, Calif. -- Sophomore Evan Hecker hit a two-out infield single in the top of the 15th inning to score Shawn Stevenson and give the Washington State Cougars a 3-2 marathon win over the California Golden Bears in Pac-10 Conference play Saturday afternoon at Evans Diamond.
The extra-inning win improved the Cougars record 6-10 and evened their Pac-10 mark at 1-1. Cal is now 7-11 in 2000 and 1-1 in Pac-10 play. The last time WSU played consecutive games in extra innings was against the UCLA Bruins (March 17-18) in 1995. WSU split the extra-inning games with the Bruins, 4-3 (W) and 6-7 (L). The Cougars had not ventured past the 12th inning in a ballgame since March 1, 1992 in a 1-0 win in 13 innings over San Jose State. Saturday's 15-inning marathon tied a school record, matching 15-inning games against Lewis-Clark State (1986), Idaho (1971), Fresno State (1966) and Ohio State (1965).
While Hecker provided the heroics with his single in the top of the 15th, it was the Cougar pitching staff that came up the biggest in the win. Sophomore starting pitcher Tyson Thompson (1-2, 5.11) contributed the best outing of his Cougar career with an eight-inning, two run performance to pick up the no decision. Sophomore Zach Fisher was brilliant out of the bullpen, allowing only one hit in 4.2 scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 1.69. Senior Matt O'Brien was also impressive, picking up the win to improve to 3-0 on the season with 2.1 innings of perfect pitching. Saturday's bullpen performance comes on the heels of Friday's spectacular performance by Lanakila Niles in which he allowed only one hit in four innings in the Cougs 7-6 loss to Cal in 11 innings. For the season the Cougar `pen is now 4-1 with an impressive 2.64 ERA.
Cal starter Brad Steele also provided a career-best effort in his outing, despite picking up the no decision. Steele allowed two runs and struck out a career-high nine in nine innings pitched. Steele's prior career highs had been four strikeouts and six innings pitched. Andrew Sproul was saddled with the loss allowing the winning run to cross the plate in his two-inning outing.
Cal got on the board in the bottom of the second with catcher Mike Tonis scoring on a wild pitch. With the Cougs down 1-0 early and Steele cruising allowing only one hit through the first three innings, senior catcher Zach Bode got to the Cougs jumpstarted with a solo home run to left field to pull the Cougs even.
With the score tied 1-1 in the fifth, the Cougars and Thompson looked to be in a jam with runners on first and third and no outs. Nick Medrano led the inning off with a double to left field and advanced to third on an error by Hecker. The Golden Bears tried to squeeze in Medrano from third, but a great play by Stefan Bailie at first to cut down Medrano at the plate to keep the game knotted at one. On the very next play the Cougar defense killed the Cal rally with a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
WSU took a brief 2-1 lead in the sixth off a run-scoring double by senior Ray Hattenburg to score Bailie. Tonis plated the equalizer on the first pitch of the bottom half of the inning with a home run to center field.
Cal stalked another rally in the ninth, putting a runner in scoring position with two outs. After intentionally walking preseason Player of the Year Xavier Nady, Fisher pushed the game into extra innings by striking out Tonis to strand the winning run at second.
Fisher and Cal reliever Rob Meyer matched each other pitch-for-pitch in the extra frames. Fisher retired nine in a row at one point, while Meyer allowed only two singles. WSU called on ace reliever O'Brien in the 13th inning in relief of the brilliant Fisher who allowed only one hit in his outing.
WSU had a chance to pull into the lead in the 14th with runners on first and third and only one out, but Cal reliever Sproul struck out Jordan Nilsen and David Perriera to kill the rally. The Cougars finally ended the eight-inning scoring draught from both teams with a single tally in the 15th. Stevenson drew a two-out walk, and after a stolen base and a balk, Hecker slapped an infield single up the middle to push home the go-ahead run. O'Brien set the Cal lineup down in order in the bottom of the 15th to seal the win for the Cougs.
Hattenburg led the Cougs at the plate with a 4-for-6 game and pushed home one run. Meyer had two hits for the Bears and contributed four scoreless innings of relief out of the bullpen.
The Cougars and Golden Bears will play the rubber match of the three-game Pac-10 series Sunday afternoon at Evans Diamond. Senior right-hander Reggie Rivard (0-2, 8.22) is scheduled to start for the Cougs against Cal's Jon Shirley (0-3, 7.12). Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. and can be heard in the Palouse region on 1450 KCLX or on the internet at www.wsucougars.com.
WSU 000 101 000 000 001 - 3 12 2
CAL 010 001 000 000 000 - 2 8 1
Tyson Thompson, Zach Fisher (9), Matt O'Brien (13) and Zach Bode,
Ryan Smith (9), Jon Baeder (14).
Brad Steele, Rob Meyer (10), Andrew Sproul (14), and Mike Tonis.
W - O'Brien (3-0),L - Sproul (0-1), S - None, HR - Bode (2), Tonis (4).
T - 4:20, A - 296.
WSU Hits - Nilsen, Bode, Hattenburg 4, Curran,
Bailie, Gates 2, Knight, Hecker.
CAL Hits - Callen 2, Williams, Medrano, Meyer 2, Tonis, Sark.
E - Gates (8), Hecker (1), Williams.
2B - Williams (4), Medrano (1), Hattenburg (4).
c-o-u-g-s
Copy by Jeff R. Evans
WSU Sports Information
