Feb. 21, 2004

Final Stats

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Washington State's baseball team beat Saint Mary's 7-5 Saturday, with the help of Grant Richardson's two home runs and four RBI, at Hornet's Field to place the Cougars in the River City Tournament Championship, Sunday, Feb. 22 at 1p.m.

Richardson, who had three hits and a walk, hit a solo homerun in the fourth, and then a three-run homer in the fifth to put WSU (4-2) up 6-1 over the Gaels (3-8). Richardson brought home Justin Hart, who had walked, and Jay Miller who had singled to left field.

"We're obviously very happy with Richardson's hitting," WSU head coach Tim Mooney said. "His two homeruns were key hits in the game. He's an awful tough out."

Senior Aaron Trolia (1-0) started on the mound for WSU, pitching seven innings while striking out eight, allowing four hits and three runs, two earned. Bryan Oland (2-2) took the loss for Saint Mary's, giving up six earned runs, seven hits and striking out seven over seven innings.

"We had another good starting pitching performance from Aaron Trolia," Mooney added. "We are very happy with his performance and of Zach Franklin, who started at catcher today. Zach did a great job and had two good hits for the Cougars."

WSU scored its first run in the third after Justin McClure singled to right field, stole second, advanced to third on an error and was then brought home when Kaeo Rubin doubled to left field.

Following Richardson's homerun in the fourth, Zach Kosturos was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Zach Franklin doubled down the right field line to score Kosturos.

Rubin led off the ninth inning with a solo homerun to score the final run for WSU.

Saint Mary's first score was an unearned run in the third by Bryan Bryne, who reached home on a fielding error. The Gaels added two more runs in the seventh when Sam Carter hit a homerun, scoring Adam Bellows who led off the inning with a single. Carter hit another two-run homerun in the ninth inning, but WSU right-handed-pitcher Brett Sommer retired the final two batters he faced to seal the win for the Cougs.

Bryce Chamberlin (1-0) will start at pitcher for Washington State when the Cougars play host, Sacramento State in the championship game of the River City Tournament Sunday at 1 p.m. at Hornet Field.

WSU	001 230 001 - 7  10 1
Saint Mary's	001 000 202 - 5   6  1
Aaron Trolia, Brett Sommer (8), and Zach Franklin.
Bryan Oland, Justin Sloan (8), and J.P. Musgrove and Stefan Foushee (4)
W - Trolia (1-0). L - Oland (2-2). Save - None. HR - Rubin, Richardson 2, Carter 2.
T - 2:39. A -113.
WSU Hits - Rubin 2, Hart, Ja. Miller, Richardson 3, Franklin 2, McClure.
Saint Mary's Hits -Gil, Bellows 2, Carter 3.
E - Hart, Musgrove. 2B - Rubin, Franklin, Carter. 3B - None.