Cougars Open Pac-12 Play Hosting No. 4 Oregon State
No. 4 OREGON STATE (9-1, 0-0 Pac-12) at WASHINGTON STATE (7-5, 0-0 Pac-12)
Pullman, Wash. | Bailey-Brayton Field | March 11-13, 2022
Friday, 3:05 p.m. | Saturday, 2:05 p.m. | Sunday, 1:05 p.m.
WATCH | WSUCOUGARS.COM
PROBABLE STARTERS
Cooper Hjerpe | So. | LHP | 3-0, 1.65 ERA, 27 K, 16.1 IP vs. McKabe Cottrell | RS-Jr. | LHP | 1-2, 4.61 ERA, 12 K, 13.2 IP
Jacob Kmatz | Fr. | RHP | 2-0, 4.38 ERA, 12 K, 12.1 IP vs. Grant Taylor | So. | RHP | 2-0, 3.55 ERA, 14 K, 12.2 IP
TBA vs. Cole McMillan | RS-So. | LHP | 1-0, 1.93 ERA, 20 K, 24.0 IP
COUGARS OPEN PAC-12 PLAY HOSTING NO. 4 OREGON STATE
Washington State returns to Pullman for the first time this season to open Pac-12 Conference play hosting No. 4 Oregon State at Bailey-Brayton Field. Friday's first pitch is set for 3:05 p.m., Saturday is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. and Sunday's finale is set for 1:05 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
Follow Washington State Baseball on twitter and instagram @wsucougarbsb. Links to live stats, webstreams and radio streams will be available at the baseball schedule page on wsucougars.com.
ON DECK
The Cougars will hit the road for four games on the west side of the state beginning with a Tuesday matchup at Seattle U followed by a weekend series at Washington in the 2022 Boeing Apple Cup Series, all on the Pac-12 Networks.
ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE
Washington State enters Pac-12 Conference opening weekend with a 7-5 record after splitting a four-game series at Hawaii opening weekend, taking three of four from LIU (Long Island) in Peoria, Ariz week two, rallied in the ninth inning for a 9-8 win at Tarleton State last Wednesday and posted an 11-6 win over Texas A&M in the Frisco Classic last Friday. Kyle Russell leads the team with a .348 batting average while Justin Van De Brake (3 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR) leads the team with six extra base-hits. The Cougars returned seven starters from a lineup that finished the 2021 season with 26-23 overall record, their first winning season since 2015, after recording conference series wins at Utah, at California, No. 8 Oregon and Washington to post a 13-17 mark in Pac-12 play, the most conference wins since 2014. Green owns a 200-157-1 career mark now in his eighth season including a 42-35 record in his third season at WSU. The win over Texas A&M was career win No. 200 for Green.
COUGAR QUICK HITS
TEAM
• WSU posted a program-best 3.14 team GPA in the 2021 fall semester, WSU has set records last 3 semesters
• WSU recorded its first winning season since 2015 and recorded most Pac-12 wins (13) since 2014)
• WSU finished 2021 2nd in the Pac-12 in hitting (.302) and scoring (7.2) and 3rd in doubles (115)
• WSU was 3rd in the Pac-12 with 115 doubles, No. 21 in the country and most by a WSU club since 2010
• WSU tied for the most road wins (16) by any Power-5 team in the country last season (Tennessee)
• WSU's pitching staff tallied 437 strikeouts in 2021, the second-most in program history (2009 - 453)
• WSU pitching enters the weekend 3rd in the Pac-12 in strikeouts/9 (11.2) and hits allowed (81)
• WSU's 11-6 win over Texas A&M at the Frisco Classic last Friday was its 1st win over an SEC team since 2012
INDIVIDUAL
• Brian Green is 42-35 in his 3rd season at WSU, 200-157 in 8-year career, New Mexico State (5 years, 158-122-1)
• SS Kodie Kolden enters the weekend with a 20-game on-base streak dating back to last season
• Kolden was named to the Frisco Classic All-Tournament Team (.455, 5 H, 2 R, 2 RBI, SB, 3-hit game vs. A&M)
• OF Justin Van De Brake was named to the Frisco Classic All-Tournament Team (.636, 7 H, 4 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI)
• OF Jacob McKeon enters weekend with 9-game on-base streak
• INF Kyle Russell, in his last 5 games is hitting .364 (8-22) with 5 runs scored, 3 RBI and 3 multiple-hit games
ABOUT OREGON STATE
Oregon State enters the week with a 9-1 overall record after taking two of three from UC Irvine in Corvallis last weekend and are ranked as high as No. 4 in the Collegiate Baseball Top-25. WSU leads the all-time series with the Beavers 231-211-3 but OSU has claimed four straight series after taking two of three in Corvallis last season. This weekend will be the first series between the two teams in Pullman since 2018 where OSU claimed the first two games before the finale was called a tie due to travel. The Beavers went on to win the 2018 National Championship. WSU is 129-77-3 all-time against OSU in Pullman and have split the last two series, taking two of two in 2016. WSU is looking for its first series win over a ranked time since taking two of three from No. 30 Washington in 2017, first series win over a Top-10 team team since taking two fo three from No. 10 Oregon State in 2016 and first series from a Top-5 team since taking two of three from No. 1 Arizona State in Pullman in 2010.
RV TAILGATE PROGRAM ADDED TO BAILEY-BRAYTON FIELD FOR 2022
WSU announced the addition of a Cougar Baseball RV Tailgate program for 2022. RV Parking and Tailgating will highlight the gameday experience at Bailey-Brayton Field and will be located behind the Indoor Practice Facility along the first base side. Washington State is accepting deposits for new season tickets for the 2022 baseball season. For the 2022 season, we will be offering general admission down the 1st and 3rd baseline as well as reserved seating behind home plate. Current season ticket holders do not need to place a deposit and will have first right to the reserved seating locations. Please contact the WSU Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-COUGS for season ticket information and/or to secure an RV pass for the season, or select series.
2021 RECRUITING CLASS RANKED AMONG NATION'S BEST
For the second straight year, WSU Baseball saw its incoming signing class ranked among the nation's best recruiting classes after Collegiate Baseball rated WSU's incoming 2021 class No. 40 in the country. The class, which begins his first season on the field, was the seventh-best class in the Pac-12 Conference ahead of Arizona State (42), Washington (43), California and Utah and also ahead of notable schools Michigan (41), UC Santa Barbara (48), Nebraska, Cal State Fullerton, UC Irvine and Gonzaga. The 2021 Cougar class also features the top-rated junior college class according to JBB Baseball.
WSU, BRIAN GREEN AGREE TO CONTRACT EXTENSION THROUGH 2026
WSU Director of Athletics Pat Chun announced in September that Brian Green has signed a contract extension through the 2026 season. Green's initial contract was a five-year contract signed in 2019. "We respect the history and tradition of our Cougar Baseball program and the responsibility we have to uphold it," said Chun. "Over the past two years, Coach Brian Green has rekindled the passion and pride Cougs have for our baseball program. We are fortunate to have Coach Green and look forward to having him lead our program for many years to come."
IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE COMMUNITY
Head coach Brian Green emphasized winning in the classroom and the community in his introductory press conference and the Cougs backed him up in his first two years at WSU.
- This past fall, WSU posted its highest semester team GPA (3.14) in program history after 31 players posted a 3.0 GPA or better in the semester. WSU has set program records for team GPA in three straight fall semesters. The 3.14 mark broke the 3.09 record set in the 2020 fall semester with broke the record of 3.05 set in the fall of 2019.
- WSU does a viral campaign under Green named Meet The Professor where each baseball student-athlete introduces themselves and takes a selfie with their professor in the first class of each semester.
- In January of 2020, WSU gathered at a local elementary school and helped the Whitman County Special Olympics with basketball practice.
- This past summer, WSU partnered with WSU ROAR to host a Lentil Cookoff. WSU ROAR is a two-year postsecondary education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS - 2021
437 - WSU's pitching staff tallied 437 strikeouts in 2021, the second-most in program history (2009 - 453)
115 - WSU was 3rd in the Pac-12 with 115 doubles, No. 21 in the country and most by a WSU club since 2010
74 - WSU led the Pac-12 with 74 doubles in conference play
43 - WSU's 43 home runs in 49 games were the most since 2010
17 - WSU had 17 selections to the 2021 Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll (3.3 GPA or higher)
14 - WSU's 14 games scoring 10+ runs is the most by a Cougar team since 2010 (14)
.454 - WSU's .454 slugging pct. was the ninth-best in program history, best since 1999
.302 - WSU's team batting average (.302) was 2nd in the Pac-12, No. 19 in the country and best since 2008
WSU COMPLETES PROJECT: BTO (Photos on Back Page)
Washington State broke ground on the Cougar Baseball Facility Project: BTO (Back to Omaha) in October of 2019 and officially moved into its new home this past January. The state-of-the-art facility features a $10 million clubhouse facility, a new entrance to Bailey-Brayton Field, a 1,300 square-foot locker room, a 1,500 square-foot weight room, academic area, team meeting room, areas for Cougar equipment, nutrition and athletic medicine, coaches offices as well as recognition of WSU's storied history. In addition, the facility will enhance the game day experience for players, coaches and fans, and provide improved ingress and egress along with new public restrooms and concessions. All costs were all covered through donor support.
COUGS NOTCH NOTABLE WINS IN 2021
• WSU took 2 of 3 from Washington in Pullman to close the season and notch 1st Apple Cup series win since 2017
• WSU took 2 of 3 from No. 8 Oregon in Pullman to post 1st series win over Top-10 team since 2016 (No. 10 OSU)
• WSU took 2 of 3 at Cal in late April to post its 1st series win against the Golden Bears since 2015
• WSU took 2 of 3 at Utah to post its 1st Pac-12 road series win since 2017
• WSU beat No. 24 Stanford with 10-9 walkoff HBP in 10 innings (4/2), WSU's 1st win in the series since 2016
• WSU recorded its 1st win against Oregon State (3/19) since 2016 and 1st win in Corvallis since 2013
• WSU's 5-2 win at No. 18 Oregon State (3/19) gave WSU an 11-2 record for the 1st time since 2006
• WSU won its conference opener (5-2 at Oregon State) for 1st time since 2013
• WSU took 2 of 3 from Seattle U week 3 to open the season with 3 straight series wins for 1st time since 2008
• WSU swept a 4-game series at Dixie State week 2, its 1st 4-game road series sweep since 1993 (Hawaii-Hilo)
• WSU opened 2021 by taking 3 of 4 at UC Davis, the Cougars 1st series win on opening weekend since 2011
BRIAN GREEN BY THE NUMBERS
6,000 - Green's NMSU program volunteered over 6,000 hours of community service in his 5 years
2019 - Led New Mexico State to a Western Athletic Conference Regular-Season Championship in 2019
2018 - Led New Mexico State to an NCAA Regional appearance in 2018
2014 - Green recruited and coached 2014 Golden Spikes Award Winner AJ Reed at Kentucky, John Olerud Award
200 - Green recorded his 200th career win in WSU's 11-6 win over Texas A&M at the Frisco Classic last Friday
40 - Green's 2018 club won 40 games and earned a trip to the NCAA Regional
34 - Green won 34 or more games in each of the last 4 seasons at NMSU
17 - Named the 17th baseball coach in Washington State history June 3, 2019
11 - Has coached 11 All-Americans including two-time selection Kyle Manzardo the last two seasons
4 - Coached 4 seasons at UCLA (2005-08), coached San Francisco Giant SS Brandon Crawford at UCLA
1st - WSU beat CSU Bakersfield 5-2 in the 2020 season-opener for Brian Green's 1st career win as a Coug
.356 - In 2019, NMSU led the country in batting avg, runs, runs/g, hits, triples, on-base pct and slugging
THREE COUGARS SELECTED IN MLB DRAFT
Washington State saw threee players selected in the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft in July. Two-time All-American first baseman Kyle Manzardo was selected in the second round by the Tampa Bay Rays, pitcher Zane Mills was selected in the fourth round by the St. Louis Cardinals and pitcher Brandon White was selected in the 12th round by the Miami Marlins. Manzardo, taken as the No. 63 overall pick, is the highest draft pick for the Cougars since Scott Hatteberg was selected in the first round compensation round and No. 43 overall in 1991. Mills, taken as the No. 120 overall pick, is the highest Cougar pitcher drafted since Adam Conley was taken in the second round and No. 72 overall by the Florida Marlins in 2011. Manzardo and Mills are the first set of Cougar teammates drafted in the first four rounds of the same draft since Aaron Sele and Scott Hatteberg were both taken in the first round of the 1991 draft. White, taken as the No. 359 overall pick, marked the first time WSU has had three players drafted in the first 12 rounds since 1977. All three players signed professional contracts.
JOHN OLERUD NAMED PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE CENTURY
The Pac-12 Conference inducted Coug legend John Olerud into the Pac-12 Hall of Honor in 2019. Olerud was named the Pac-12 Conference's Baseball Player of the Century in 2016. During his three seasons in a Cougar uniform, Olerud (1987-89) had one of the finest careers of any Cougar student-athlete, in any sport, in Washington State history, rewriting the WSU record books and becoming the only Cougar baseball athlete ever to be named College Athlete of the Year. In 1988, Olerud became the only player in NCAA history to win 15 games on the mound and hit 20 home runs in the same season, going 15-0 with 23 home runs that year. Olerud went 26-4 overall with a 3.17 ERA over 241.1 innings during his three seasons, hitting .434. He set two Pac-10 records and 10 Pac-10 North marks, highlighted by his sophomore season when he was named Athlete of the Year by Baseball America. In January prior to his junior year at WSU, Olerud suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a type of brain seizure. He missed the first 28 games of the spring season, but returned to hit .359 for WSU over the final 27 games. Prior to his senior season, Olerud signed a contract with Toronto and went directly to the Major Leagues. In 1993, he became the first Blue Jay to win a batting title, hitting .363. Olerud played for Toronto, the New York Mets and Yankees, Seattle and Boston during his 17-year career, winning back-to-back World Series titles with Toronto in 1992 and 1993. In 2001 he joined his father, John Sr., in the WSU Athletics Hall of Fame, and is a member of the College Baseball, State of Washington and Inland Northwest Sports Halls of Fame. The John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, given annually by the College Baseball Hall of Fame, was named in his honor and in 2016, he was named the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Century.