Washington State University Athletics
WSU Offense Comes Alive In 12-9 Win Over McNeese State
May 22, 2016 | Baseball
PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State tallied 15 hits and the bullpen held off a ninth-inning rally to post a 12-9 victory over McNeese State University at Bailey-Brayton Field Saturday afternoon.
The Cougars (18-33) received multiple-hit games from six different players led by Patrick McGrath and Cameron Frost who each collected three hits and three RBI. Shane Matheny reached base five times, scored three times and tied a school record with four walks. Leadoff hitter J.J. Hancock also scored three times. McNeese State dropped to 29-23 overall after committing five errors.
Washington State jumped out to a 2-0 lead with two runs in the first inning on a McGrath RBI-single through the left side and Stefan Van Horn brought home another run with a groundout to second. The Cougars added three more in the second inning, the first coming home after a pair of McNeese State errors. One batter late, McGrath singled home Hancock and Cameron Frost followed with a single through the left side to score Matheny for a 5-0 advantage.
In the third inning, Justin Harrer and Jack Strunc started the inning with singles and Derek Chapman walked to load the bases. Harrer came home on a wild pitch, Strunc scored on a Dugan Shirer groundout and Chapman scored on Hancock's groundout to first base. Following a Matheny walk, McGrath lined a double to right centerfield to score Matheny and Frost added a single to right to score McGrath for a 10-0 lead.
McNeese State started to make their comeback with three runs on three hits in the fourth and added three more in the fifth with three hits, two walks and wild pitch to cut the WSU lead to 10-6.
The Cowboys added two more in the seventh after an error before the next batter reached on a wild pitch on a strikeout and the next batter a singled. MSU added more on a sac fly to make it 10-8 but the Cougars answered with one in the seventh as Hancock singled up the middle and came around to score on a Frost double to right centerfield for a three-run lead.
McNeese scored once in the eighth with an infield single but again WSU answered as Shirer and Chapman executed a first and third double steal with Chapman stealing home on the play to give the Cougars a 12-0 lead. The Washington State bullpen used three pitchers to get through the ninth as lefthander Trenton Dupre stranded two runners with a flyout to Frost in left field to seal up the win.
WSU starter Scotty Sunitsch (4-1) earned the win after striking out three in five innings. Dupre earned his third save of the season after getting out the only batter he faced. McNeese starter Bryce Kingsley (5-1) allowed five runs, two earned in two innings.
The Cougars will head to Yakima, Wash. to host the University of Washington for a nonconference game Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
