Cougars Drop One-Run Contest to Fresno State

PULLMAN, Wash. (April 26, 2024) – Washington State took a one-run lead into the ninth but dropped a 5-4 decision to Fresno State at Bailey-Brayton Field Friday evening.
 
The Cougars (18-22) took a 4-3 lead on an Alan Shibley RBI-double in the eighth inning but Fresno State (26-15) scored twice in the ninth to take the series-opener.
 
WSU received three hits from Jacob Morrow who doubled twice while starter Grant Taylor struck out 10 in seven innings. Taylor's 10 strikeouts pushed his career total to 228, passing Guy Normand and Elwood Hahn for sixth in WSU history. Taylor has made his 42nd career start, tying Tracy Harris and Tanner Chelborad for ninth-most in WSU history.
 
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
In the first inning, Cole Cramer bounced a two-out single up the middle and scored on a Casen Taggart RBI-double to right-centerfield. Taylor was impressive, allowing just one hit while striking out eight through the first five innings.
 
In the sixth, Fresno State struck for three runs on a single, double and two-run homer for a 3-1 advantage. WSU answered with a pair of runs in their half of the sixth on a pair of RBI-singles from Morrow and pinch-hitter Logan Johnstone to even the game at three.
 
Taylor came back out to work a scoreless seventh and notch his tenth strikeout and the Cougars received a scoreless eighth from Rylan Haider out of the bullpen. In the bottom of the eighth, Morrow went the other way for a one-out double to right-centerfield and Shibley delivered his own double to right-center to score Morrow as the go-ahead run.
 
In the ninth, Fresno State used a leadoff infield single deep in the hole to shortstop and a bloop double down the right field line to put runners on second and third with nobody out. The tying run came home on an RBI-groundout to second and the go-ahead run came home on a fielding error.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Cole Cramer singled in the 1st inning to extend his hitting streak to 6 games
Jacob Morrow doubled in the 4th inning to extend his on-base streak to 8 games
Kyle Russell singled in 9th inning to extend on-base streak to 15 games
 
NEXT UP
The series continues Saturday at 6:05 p.m.