BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Washington State dropped its series rubber game at CSU Bakersfield 7-2 Sunday afternoon.
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The Roadrunners scored twice in each of the first two innings, held off a number of Cougar rallies throughout the day and tacked on three more in the ninth.
Kyle Manzardo and
Garrett Gouldsmith each tallied two hits for the Cougars.
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In the first inning, the Cougars saw Manzardo double to right-centerfield but was stranded at third to the inning. CSUB opened the bottom of the inning with a double, a triple and a wild pitch to push two runs across. An inning later, the Roadrunners opened the frame with back-to-back doubles that plated a run and a passed ball was followed by a wild pitch to push the lead to 4-0.
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Junior righthander
Brody Barnum fired scoreless third and fourth innings before sophomore
Connor Barison worked a scoreless fifth.
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WSU put two runners on to start the sixth after a
Garrett Gouldsmith single and
Kyle Manzardo walk but CSUB ended the threat with a 5-4-3 double play and a ground out. In the seventh,
Jake Meyer doubled off the centerfield wall with one out but was stranded to end the inning.
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In the eighth,
Brady Hill started the inning with a walk and Gouldsmith lined single into centerfield and the first pitch to Manzardo got behind the catcher to put runners on second and third with nobody out. Following a CSUB pitching change, Manzardo groundout sharply to first base to score Hill and
Collin Montez chopped a ball to second to score Gouldsmith and make it a two-run game.
Jack Smith had worked a walk prior to Montez, was on second but the CSUB reliever ended the inning with a groundout.
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The Roadrunners added a pair of runs in their half of the eighth following a hit-by-pitch, a pair of singles, a pair of RBI-groundouts and a bases loaded walk for a 7-2 advantage.
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INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Kyle Manzardo doubled in all 3 games of the series
Jake Meyer doubled to centerfield in the 7
th for his first career extra-base hit
Connor Barison worked three scoreless innings
Freshman righthander
Grant Taylor struck out the only batter he faced in his collegiate debut
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NEXT UP
The Cougars will head to CSUN in Northridge, Calif. for a Monday afternoon matchup at 2 p.m.
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