May 7, 2007

Final Stats

PULLMAN, Wash. - Travis Coulter's RBI single in the seventh capped a three-run inning and Ross Humes recorded his record-setting 11th save of the season as Washington State rallied for a 4-2 victory over Stanford in the Pacific-10 Conference series finale Monday afternoon at Bailey-Brayton Field.

The victory was the Cougars second straight over Stanford, registering series wins in back-to-back seasons over the Cardinal for the first time in school history. WSU snapped a 23-game skid to Stanford last season by taking the first two games of the series.

Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, the Cougars put together a two-out rally to get back in the game. With the bases empty, a walk, single and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Mike Gilbert. Gilbert tied the game with a two-run single to left. Coulter followed with an RBI single, giving WSU its first lead of the game at 3-2.

Stanford threatened in the eighth as it loaded the bases with two outs, but a great defensive play by Cougar shortstop Cody Bartlett from deep in the whole eliminated the rally. In the ninth Humes allowed a leadoff single but it did not haunt him as the sophomore lefthander got Sean Ratliff looking to end the game.

Humes' 11th save moved him into the top spot on WSU's single-season list, passing former Cougar Reed Rainey's mark of 10, which had stood since the 1984 season. Humes is now 11-for-12 in save opportunities this season, including saves in both Cougar victories this series.

It was a battle of the starting pitchers through the first seven innings as Cougar starter Jayson Miller and Stanford's Erik Davis were in control. Miller allowed a solo home run to Toby Gerhart to lead off the game and a sacrifice fly by Ryan Seawell in the sixth, the only negatives on a strong outing. Miller fanned four and did not allow a walk as he picked up his third win of the season after 7 1/3 innings of work.

Davis, in just his third start of the season, silenced the Cougar bats through the first 6 2/3 innings. In each of his first seven innings he retired the first two hitters and did not allow a runner to reach second until the seventh. He finished his afternoon allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings to go with four strikeouts.

WSU added an insurance run in the eighth when Simi Reynolds led off with s single and scored on Jeff Miller's double off the wall in left-center.

The series victory was the second for the Cougars this season, also taking two of three against No. 12 Arizona, Apr. 20-22, at Bailey-Brayton Field.

For the game Coulter and Reynolds each had two hits to lead an eight-hit Cougar attack. Stanford also had eight hits, with Ratliff and Michael Taylor each having two.

The Cougars continue their brief four-game home stand Tuesday evening as they host Lewis-Clark State at Bailey-Brayton Field. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

WSU BASEBALL
Stanford		100 001 000 - 2 8 0
Washington State	000 000 30x - 4 8 3
WP - Jayson Miller (3-2). LP - Erik Davis (2-2). Save - Ross Humes (11).
STAN - Eric Davis, Blake Hancock (8), Cory Bannister (8) and Brian Juhl
WSU - Jayson Miller, Jeremy Johnson (8), Ross Humes (8) and Greg Lagreid, Mike Gilbert.
STAN Hits - Sean Ratliff 2, Michael Taylor 2, Toby Gerhart, Jeff Whitlow, Brian Juhl, Adam Gaylord
WSU Hits - Travis Coulter 2, Simi Reynolds 2, Jeff Miller, Scott Suttmeier, Ryan Krauser, Mike Gilbert
E - Gran, Miller 2. 2B - Miller, Gaylord. 3B - None.
HR -Gerhart