ROUND ROCK, Texas (Feb. 24, 2024) – Joey Kramer hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the eighth inning to lead Washington State past Kansas on day two of the Karbach Round Rock Classic at Dell Diamond Saturday afternoon.
 
WSU trailed 4-1 before scoring once in the seventh and Kramer pulled a one-out pitch over the left field fence for a three-run shot. Cougar reliever Kaden Wickersham fired three scoreless innings of work capped by a perfect ninth, ending the game with a strikeout.
 
Outfielder Alan Shibley collected two hits including a first-inning solo home run, catcher Will Cresswell added two hits and first baseman Cramer finished two hits highlighted by the three-run homerun, his second long ball as a Coug after transferring from CSUN. WSU starting pitcher Connor Wilford struck out three in six innings before Wickersham took over to start the seventh, allowed just one base hit and struck out two to earn his first career win after transferring from Hutchinson CC in Kansas this past summer.
 
WSU will go for the Karbach Round Rock Classic title Sunday afternoon against Texas State with first pitch set for 2 p.m. (PT).
 
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
In the first, Shibley put the Cougars on the board with a no-doubt solo homer to right field against his dad, Steve's former college team. Kansas came right back with a two-run home run just over the leaping Shibley in right field for a 2-1 lead.
 
Both starting pitchers settled in as WSU threatened in the fourth but left two runners on. The Jayhawks pushed their lead to 4-1 with a two-out two-run single down the right field line in the sixth inning.
 
The Cougar comeback started in the seventh as Cresswell muscled a single down the left field line and Cole Cramer followed a double just inside the third base bag to put runners on second and third with nobody out. One batter later, pinch-hitter Jacob Morrow grounded a pitch wide of third base that the Kansas third baseman dove, made the stop but Cresswell was able to score to cut the lead to 4-2. The Jayhawk bullpen ended the threat with a strikeout and threw out a runner at second.
 
Wickersham retired the side on seven pitches in eighth Kyle Russell started the rally with a walk, Casen Taggart beat out an infield single just wide of the pitcher's mound and Kramer followed with a lofted three-run shot just over the left field fence for the lead.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Max Hartman led off the WSU 1^st inning with a single to left, has hit safely in all 6 games in 2024
Shibley homered in the 1^st inning, has hit safely in all 6 games in 2024
 
Cramer doubled in the 7th, has reached base in all 6 games in 2024
 
NEXT UP
WSU wraps up play at the Karbach Round Rock Classic Sunday afternoon against Texas State with first pitch set for 2 p.m. (PT)