Meyer Homers to Help Cougars Take Opener at UNLV

Tuesday, March 23

Las Vegas, NV

12:05 PM

Washington State University

12-4

UNLV

7-4

Washington State

UNLV

Photo by: Dean Hare/WSU Photo Services

March 23, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score WSU-UNLV 1 BOX Highlights

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

LAS VEGAS (March 23, 2021) – Washington State opened a two-game set in Las Vegas with a 10-5 victory over UNLV at Wilson Stadium Tuesday afternoon.

The Cougars improved to 12-4 for the first time since 2008 and received two hits and three RBI from catcher Jake Meyer who hit a go-ahead two run-homer. Second baseman Preston Clifford also tallied two hits and first baseman Kyle Manzardo singled to extend his on-base streak to 41 games, second-longest in WSU history, trailing only Brady Everett's record of 42 set in 2005.

Six WSU pitchers combined to strike out 10 while sophomore lefthander Ethan Ross earned the win with 1.2 scoreless innings and freshman Elias Farland worked two innings and struck out one while making his collegiate debut.

KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
UNLV scored a run in the first but the Cougars answered with three runs in the second as Justin Van De Brake scored on an errant pickoff attempt before Jack Smith and Clifford added RBI-doubles for a 3-1 lead. The Rebels evened things up with a pair of runs in their half of the second.

In the fourth, Meyer gave the Cougars a 5-3 lead with a two-run shot to centerfield for his second home run of the season. WSU pushed the leaded to 6-3 with a Collin Montez RBI-single in the fifth but UNLV answered with a two-out RBI-single in the bottom of the inning and later cut the lead to 6-5 with a run scoring sacrifice fly to right field in the sixth.

In the seventh, WSU put four runs on the board to open up a 10-5 advantage after a Van De Brake RBI-single, a run-scoring sacrifice fly from Jacob McKeon and back-to-back RBI singles from Meyer and pinch-hitter Keith Jones II.

Cougar relievers Connor Barison and Owen Leonard sealed things after holding UNLV scoreless the final three innings. Barison struck out four in two innings and Leonard struck out one in the ninth.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Jack Smith doubled to CF in the 2^nd inning to extend his on-base streak to 12 games
Grant Taylor made his 2021 debut with his first career start
Manzardo singled in the 7^th inning to extend his on-base streak to 41 games, 2nd-longest in WSU history (42, Brady Everett – 2005)
Tristan Peterson walked in the 7^th extend his on-base streak to 16 games

NEXT UP
The series with UNLV continues Wednesday at 12:05 p.m.

TOP SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

.@JackSmith365 follows with an RBI-double to LC and the Cougs take a 2-1 lead in Las Vegas!

T2 | 2-1#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/kSxlHttlW7
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) March 23, 2021

One batter later @cliffford_2 drives in Smith with an RBI-double of his own!

T2 | 3-1 Cougs#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/gQn7ZvRC1G
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) March 23, 2021

We 👀you Manzo!

T4 | 3-3 game at UNLV#GoCougs | @KyleTMazardo pic.twitter.com/9s76Vayb62
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) March 23, 2021

BOOM!@Jake_Meyer34 goes big fly to CF for a 2-run shot in the 4th! His 2nd homer of the season!

T4 | 5-3 Cougs#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/y3ywjPJn8a
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) March 23, 2021

Freshman righthander @eliasfarland makes his collegiate debut out of the bullpen and strikes out the first batter he faces!

B4 | 5-3 Cougs#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/Af1i89FKcK
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) March 23, 2021

2 outs in the 9th!

Leonard gets a groundout to 2nd

B9 | 10-5 Cougs#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/e7K1qpIeDf
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) March 23, 2021