PULLMAN, Wash. – Cameron Frost knocked in three and Shane Matheny homered as Washington State picked up its first four-game sweep since 2013 with an 8-4 victory over Sacred Heart, Sunday at Bailey-Brayton Field.
The Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-8) continued the series trend striking first in all four games, as Ted Shaw scored off a single by Jayson Sullivan in the first.
The Cougars (11-5) responded in the bottom of the inning and loaded the bases on back-to-back singles and a walk, before Frost laced a two-run double to right-center, plating Wes Hatten and P.J. Jones. Washington State added to the lead when Ian Sagdal came around to score on an RBI groundout by Ben Roberts.
SHU added another run in the third as WSU traded a run for two outs as Zack Short scored on a 6-4-3 ground out double play.
Washington State broke the game open in the fourth by adding three runs to take a 6-2 advantage highlighted by a Matheny solo shot to right-center.
In the top of the fifth, the Pioneers loaded the bases on two hits and an error, but the threat was extinguished by a Matt Bower strikeout and a diving catch by Matheny at third.
Washington State struck again in the sixth making the game 8-2 as Jones, who finished 3-for-4, plated Hatten with a single to right-center before coming around to score on a single by Wes Leow.
The Pioneers tacked on two more in the seventh cutting the deficit to four with a RBI single by Sullivan, followed by a sacrifice fly by Sorrento.
Matt Bower (4-0) picked up his fourth win in relief, going 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out four. Freshmen southpaw Layne Bruner started and threw four solid innings, allowing two runs on three hits, walked five but struck out three.
Pioneer starter John Sostarich (0-1) suffered the loss has he posted three innings of work, allowing three runs on four hits while walking four and striking out two.
The Cougars travel to Los Angeles for a three-game set to open conference play against the USC Trojans starting Mar. 13 at 6 p.m.
--wsucougars.com--
