BELLEVUE, Wash. (April 20, 2022) –
Jack Smith matched a career-high with four hits to lead Washington State past Seattle U 11-6 in a nonconference matchup Wednesday afternoon.
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WSU (14-21) recorded 14 hits as
Jacob McKeon drove in four runs,
Bryce Matthews reached base five times and Smith recorded his team-leading 13
th multiple-hit game.
Dakota Hawkins earned the win after recording three strikeouts in scoreless innings of relief and
Caden Kaelber picked up a save with three scoreless frames.
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The Cougars took the lead with three runs in the fourth, pulled away with four in the sixth and tacked on two more in the eighth. Seattle U dropped to 9-23.
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KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
In the first inning,
Kodie Kolden led off the game with a bunt single down the third base line and after a pair of walks,
Jacob McKeon scored Kolden with a sacrifice-fly to centerfield. In the bottom of the inning, the first two Seattle U hitters reached and a two-run single back up the middle gave SU a 2-1 lead.
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In the third inning, Smith and Matthews each singled with one out and McKeon punched a single through the right side for his second RBI of the game. The Redhawks answered with a hit-by-pitch, a stolen base and an RBI-single through the right side to take a 3-2 lead.
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In the fourth, Hall tripled off the glove of the Seattle U outfielder in right centerfield to score
Austin Plante as the tying run. Two batters later, Smith drove a 1-1 pitch the other way down the right field line for a two-out two-run double and a 5-3 Cougar lead.
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In the sixth, WSU pushed four runs across on three walks and three hits including two-run singles from McKeon and
Austin Plante. Seattle U again answered, this time with a pinch-hit three-run homer to cut the WSU lead to 9-6.
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In the eighth,
Justin Van De Brake singled home a run and
Will Cresswell pushed the lead to 11-6 with a run-scoring sacrifice fly.
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INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Smith's single in the 3
rd extended his on-base streak to 19 games and hitting streak to 7
Elijah Hainline walked in the 1
st to extend his on-base streak to 13 games
Tyler Hoeft made his 1
st start of the season, 5
th of his career
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NEXT UP
WSU continues its road trip with a weekend series at No. 10 Oregon beginning Friday.
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