Cougars Rally in Final Innings, Take Two at Cal Poly

Monday, February 23

San Luis Obispo, CA

5:05 p.m.

Washington State University

3-4

Cal Poly

4-3

Washington State

Cal Poly

February 23, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score GAME HIGHLIGHTS Luke Thiele Postgame Donate to NIL

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (February 23, 2026) – Washington State tied the game in the eighth inning and took the lead with a run in the ninth to post a 5-4 victory at Cal Poly Monday evening.

The Cougars split the four-game series after taking the final two games from the Mustans who are coming off an NCAA Regional appearance and are picked to finish second in the Big West Conference.

Luke Thiele doubled home the tying run in the eighth inning before Max Hartman's RBI-groundout in the ninth gave the Cougars the lead and Scott Rienguette closed things out with a scoreless ninth.

Trevor Smith, Kyler Northrop and Luke Thiele each had two hits while Smith and Northrop, the top two hitters in the lineup, both doubled and scored twice. Dustin Robinson had a two-run double and the Cougars used eight pitchers in the win. Trevor Stowe earned the win after recording the final two outs of the eighth inning before WSU took the lead in the ninth and Rienguette worked the scoreless ninth.

KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
The Cougars loaded the bases in the first inning and Ryan Skjonsby lined a two-strike pitch the other way to left field for a 1-0 lead. In the third inning, Cal Poly used a pair of hits to put runners on the corners and tied the game on a run-scoring wild pitch.

WSU regained the lead in the fifth inning as Smith led off with a bunt single to third base and Northrop followed with a double into the left field corner. Two batters later, Robinson drove a pitch the other way deep to left-centerfield for a two-run double and 3-1 Cougar lead.

The Mustangs tied the game at three with a solo homer in the fifth and a runs-scoring sacrifice fly in the sixth. The Cougars left runners at second base to end the sixth and seventh innings before Cal Poly used a double, an error and a wild pitch to take a 4-3 lead.

In the eighth, Skjonsby led off with a walk and Luke Thiele rocketed a double down the left field line that scored pinch-runner Dane Chavez all the way from first to the game at four.

In the ninth, Smith led off with a hustle double down the right field line and moved to third after Northrop worked a walk capped by a pitch to the backstop. Hartman chopped the first pitch he saw high over the mound and nearly beat the throw at first but the go-ahead run scored on the RBI-groundout. Hartman was initially called safe at first but the call was overturned to an RBI-groundout after replay.

Rienguette worked around a leadoff single and closed out the game with a shallow flyout to Hartman in right field.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Gavin Derr started and worked into 3^rd inning
Kaden Wickersham struck out 2 in his scoreless 6^th inning of work
Luke Meyers recorded the final 2 outs of the 7^th inning after starting Friday's opener
Trevor Stowe recorded his 1^st career win
Scott Rienguette recorded his 1^st career save
Dustin Robinson had a 2-run double, walked, HBP and stole a base
WSU and Cal Poly played for the 1^st time in program history, split the 4-game series

NEXT UP
The Cougars will stay in California and head south to Long Beach to play two games against BYU and Long Beach State. WSU will face BYU Thursday at 1:05 p.m.