Cougars Fall in Finale, Split Series at Hawaii

HONOLULU (February 21, 2022) – Washington State dropped the final game of the season-opening series 7-4 to Hawaii at Les Murakami Stadium Monday evening. The two teams split the four-game series.
 
Catcher Jake Meyer collected two hits including a two-run double and starter Cam Liss, making his third appearance in the series, opened the game with three shutout innings, recorded four strikeouts along the way and received a no-decision.
 
Hawaii took advantage of five Cougar errors and overcame a 2-0 deficit with a run in the fourth, two in the fifth, two more in the seventh and eighth.
 
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
In the second, the Cougars loaded the bases after a walk and pair of hit-by-pitches before Meyer delivered an opposite field ground-rule double to right field, scoring a pair of runs. Hawaii limited the damage by retiring the next three hitters, two via strikeout and the third on a diving catch by the third baseman.
 
Liss was impressive in his third appearance of the series and first career start, recording four strikeouts and ending third with a strikeout, stranding two runners.
 
Hawaii took advantage of a WSU throwing error and scored on a passed ball in the fourth inning. The Cougars loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth but the Hawaii bullpen kept WSU off the board with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to keep it a 2-1 game.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Hawaii again took advantage of a couple Cougar defensive mistakes as a failed pickoff attempt at second base allowed both runners to move up a base. A walk later loaded the bases and Cougar reliever Chase Grillo entered the game and struck out the batter he faced but the strike three pitch got behind home plate and two runners scored on the play for a 3-2 UH lead.
 
In the seventh, a pair of WSU errors led to two more runs for Hawaii and a 5-2 advantage. UH added two more runs in the eighth on a pair of bases loaded walks.
 
In the ninth, the Cougars pushed two runs across on a Hylan Hall RBI-single and a groundball double play to cut the lead to three but the Hawaii bullpen closed things out.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Kodie Kolden walked in the 2nd to extend his on-base streak to 17 games, dating back to 2021
 
NEXT UP
Washington State will head to Arizona to host a four-game series with Long Island University at the Peoria Sports Complex, the spring training home of the Seattle Mariners. The series begins Thursday at Noon, continues with a doubleheader Friday at 1 p.m. and wraps up Saturday at Noon.