Box Score SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Washington State rallied with three runs in the eighth inning highlighted by a two-run home run from sophomore catcher
Cory Meyer to post a 4-3 victory at Sacramento State Sunday afternoon.
J.J. Hancock and Andres Alavarez led WSU with two hits apiece while Hancock and
Justin Harrer each drove in a run in addition to Meyer's two. Freshman lefthanded reliever
Isaac Mullins picked up his first career win after getting the final out in the seventh and junior lefthander
Scotty Sunitsch earned the save with a perfect ninth.
The Cougars opened the scoring in the third inning with
J.J. Hancock's two-out RBI-single the opposite way into left centerfield that scored
Dugan Shirer who had doubled to right centerfield earlier in the inning. WSU starter
Cody Anderson cruised through the first four innings as the junior lefthander racked up four strikeouts and received a big assist from rightfielder Hancock. With WSU owning a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the third and runners on first and second, Sacramento State singled to right field. The lead runner rounded third and headed home but Hancock fielded the ball in right field and fired a strike to Meyer at the plate to get the runner and preserve the 1-0 lead.
The Hornets got to Anderson in the fifth, using four hits including a two-out two-run double to take a 2-1 lead chase Anderson. In the seventh, Sacramento State caught a break as Hancock's throw from right field on a sacrifice fly, beat the runner who had tagged up from third, to the plate but the ball popped loose on the tag and allowed the run to score for a 3-1 advantage.
Hancock was in the middle of things again in the eighth, starting the rally with a one-out double to left centerfield and later came around to score on Harrer's two-out single to centerfield. Meyer then stepped in and hammered a 0-1 pitch over the wall in left field for a 4-3 Cougar lead.
Sophomore right-hander
Parker McFadden worked a perfect eighth inning before Sunitsch entered in the ninth and recorded two strikeouts to seal the win. Anderson struck out seven and allowed two earned runs on five hits in 4.2 innings, his Cougar debut.
The series finale is schedule for Monday at 6 p.m.
