Cougar Offense Heats Up in Road Win over Seattle U

BELLEVUE, Wash. (April 20, 2022) – Jack Smith matched a career-high with four hits to lead Washington State past Seattle U 11-6 in a nonconference matchup Wednesday afternoon.
 
WSU (14-21) recorded 14 hits as Jacob McKeon drove in four runs, Bryce Matthews reached base five times and Smith recorded his team-leading 13th multiple-hit game. Dakota Hawkins earned the win after recording three strikeouts in scoreless innings of relief and Caden Kaelber picked up a save with three scoreless frames.
 
The Cougars took the lead with three runs in the fourth, pulled away with four in the sixth and tacked on two more in the eighth. Seattle U dropped to 9-23.
 
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
In the first inning, Kodie Kolden led off the game with a bunt single down the third base line and after a pair of walks, Jacob McKeon scored Kolden with a sacrifice-fly to centerfield. In the bottom of the inning, the first two Seattle U hitters reached and a two-run single back up the middle gave SU a 2-1 lead.
 
In the third inning, Smith and Matthews each singled with one out and McKeon punched a single through the right side for his second RBI of the game. The Redhawks answered with a hit-by-pitch, a stolen base and an RBI-single through the right side to take a 3-2 lead.
 
In the fourth, Hall tripled off the glove of the Seattle U outfielder in right centerfield to score Austin Plante as the tying run. Two batters later, Smith drove a 1-1 pitch the other way down the right field line for a two-out two-run double and a 5-3 Cougar lead.
 
In the sixth, WSU pushed four runs across on three walks and three hits including two-run singles from McKeon and Austin Plante. Seattle U again answered, this time with a pinch-hit three-run homer to cut the WSU lead to 9-6.
 
In the eighth, Justin Van De Brake singled home a run and Will Cresswell pushed the lead to 11-6 with a run-scoring sacrifice fly.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Smith's single in the 3rd extended his on-base streak to 19 games and hitting streak to 7
Elijah Hainline walked in the 1st to extend his on-base streak to 13 games
Tyler Hoeft made his 1st start of the season, 5th of his career
 
NEXT UP
WSU continues its road trip with a weekend series at No. 10 Oregon beginning Friday.