Cougars Rally in Eighth, Finish off Sweep of Grand Canyon

Sunday, March 22

Bailey-Brayton Field

12:05 p.m.

Washington State University

10-12, 4-2

Grand Canyon

8-17, 0-3

Grand Canyon

Washington State

Photo by: Greg Davis/WSU Photo

March 22, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Ryan Skjonsby Postgame GAME HIGHLIGHTS DONATE TO NIL

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

PULLMAN, Wash. (March 22, 2026) – Washington State rallied with four runs in the eighth inning to post a 6-2 victory and finish off a series sweep of Grand Canyon at Bailey-Brayton Field Sunday afternoon.

Ollie Obenour broke a 4-4 tie with a go-ahead RBI-single through the left side in the eighth inning for the Cougars (10-12, 4-2 MWC). Ryan Skjonsby followed with a long two-run homer to right-centerfield and Kyler Northrop cap the scoring with an RBI-double. The win gave the Cougars their first series sweep of the season and first since sweeping San Diego State last season in Pullman.

Northrop matched a career-high with three hits including a pair of doubles while Gavin Roy and Obenour each added two hits with Skjonsby hitting his team-leading third homer of the season. Rylan Haider earned the win after ending an eighth inning GCU threat with a ground ball 5-4-3 double play. Scott Rienguette worked the ninth to close things out.

Cougar starter Luke Meyers had his best start of the season, firing six shutout innings with four strikeouts, no walks and just three hits allowed. Grand Canyon dropped to 8-17 overall and 0-3 in conference play.

KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
Both starting pitchers traded zeros during the first four innings before WSU took advantage of a couple GCU miscues to take a fifth inning lead. Northrop pulled a leadoff double down the left field line and Cole Watterson followed with a sacrifice bunt that GCU threw down the right field line, allowing Northrop to score and Watterson to race around to third base. Roy followed with an RBI-double down into the left field corner for a 2-0 advantage.

Meyer closed his day retiring the final seven batters he faced before giving way to the bullpen that allowed a seventh-inning two-run homer, tying the game at two.

In the eighth, Max Hartman beat out a bunt single that GCU again threw away and allowed Hartman to reach third on the play. Obenour pulled an 0-2 pitch through the left side to score Hartman as the go-ahead run and one pitch later Skjonsby followed with a long two-run blast to right centerfield and Northrop doubled home Noah Thein for a 6-2 advantage.

GCU loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth but Rienguette ended the game with a fly out to left.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Gavin Roy doubled in the 5^th to extend his on-base streak and hitting streak to 9 games
Hartman's infield bunt single in the 8^th extended his hitting streak to 7 games
Dane Chavez was hit by a pitch in the 2^nd to extend his on-base streak to 13 games
Rylan Haider picked up the win after ending the 8^th with a double play

ON DECK
The Cougars will head to Spokane for a Tuesday night matchup at Gonzaga at 6 p.m.