Feb. 12, 2004

Final Stats

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- - Aaron MacKenzie worked seven strong innings and Kaeo Rubin, Jay Miller and Jeremy Farrar each drove home two runs as Washington State opened the collegiate baseball season with a 9-1 win over the University of San Francisco in the opening day of the Oakland A's Classic Thursday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

MacKenzie (1-0) struck out nine batters and held USF without a run and just two hits before Brandon Hundt took over in the eighth and finished the game for WSU (1-0). Kevin Rose (0-1) took the loss for USF (0-3)

Brandon Reddinger led WSU's 14-hit attack with three hits and drove home one run. Rubin, Jay Miller and Grant Richardson each collected two hits.

"Mackenzie was outstanding, not only the quality of his pitched, but he pitched effectively and efficiently," offered WSU head coach Tim Mooney. "He only threw 88 pitches, so he was very efficient."

WSU opened the scoring with a pair of unearned runs in the third, thanks to Rubin's two-run triple to right field. In the third the Cougars picked up another unearned run on Farrar's triple that scored Jay Miller.

Jay Miller, Richardson and Farrar all picked up RBI in the fourth as WSU pushed its lead to 6-0 and in the process sent Rose to the dugout.

WSU's final three runs came in the seventh inning when Collin Henderson bunted for a single, stole second and came home on a Reddinger single. Two batters later Jason Freeman doubled home Reddinger and then Reddinger scored on Jay Miller's single up the middle.

"We had great plate discipline, quality at-bats," Mooney said. "We didn't chase a lot of bad pitches. That was a concern this early in the season when we haven't been outside very much. I think credit goes to Brandon Reddinger. We ask a lot of our catchers and he made Mackenzie better and he did well at the plate. Overall, this was a very good team performance with solid defense."

WSU continues action in the Oakland A's Classic Friday with a 10:00 a.m. game Friday against Northwestern. Aaron Trolia will open on the mound for the Cougars.

USF 000 000 001 - 1 5 2
WSU 021 300 300 - 9 14 0
Aaron MacKenzie, Brandon Hundt (8) and Brandon Reddinger.
Kevin Rose, Reed Johnson (4), Derek Tate (7), Steve Molof (8) and Ryan Hanson, Dan Morales (8).
W - MacKenzie (1-0). L - Rose (0-1). Save - None. HR - None.
T - 2:54. A - 100.
USF Hits - Gaerlan, Genung, Fukuroku, Click, Knoble.
WSU Hits - Rubin 2, Freeman, Ja. Miller 2, Richardson 2, Farrar, Je. Miller, Henderson, Reddinger 3, McClure.
E - Gaerlan 2. 2B - Freeman. 3B - Rubin, Farrar.