BSB: Cougs miscues key in loss to Nebraska
Washington State dropped an 8-3 contest to Nebraska at the Husker Classic at Tempe Diablo Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Nebraska (2-0), who won the Big Ten Conference regular season title last season, took advantage of three Cougar errors, scoring five runs in the seventh to pull away for good.
Cougar senior starting pitcher Cody Anderson was solid in his first start of the season, working into the sixth after allowing just two earned runs on three hits and struck out five.
Junior shortstop Andres Alvarez led WSU (0-2) with three hits. The Cougars stranded a pair of runners in the third after Alvarez doubled to right center and Dillon Plew drew a walk before James Rudkin flew out down the right field line to end the threat.
Anderson cruised through first three innings, racking up four strikeouts before the Cornhuskers used a leadoff walk, two hits and sacrifice fly to push two runs across in the fourth inning. Nebraska took advantage of a WSU miscue in the sixth as a leadoff error put a Cornhusker on third who later scored to push the lead to 3-0. Nebraska took advantage of two more Cougar errors to add five runs in the seventh for an 8-0 lead.
THE DECISIONS
Win – Jake McSteen (1-0, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K)
Loss – Cody Anderson (0-1, 5+ IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: Alvarez recorded WSU's first multiple-hit game of 2018, seventh career 3-hit game and reached base four times. Jack Smith (DH) and Dustin Yates (LF) each made their first career starts. Collin Maier (RHP) made his WSU debut and struck out the first two hitters he faced. Conner Nantkes (LHP) made his collegiate debut in relieve in the eighth. Mason De La Cruz made his collegiate debut as a pinch-hitter in the ninth. Wyatt Segle pinch-hit in the ninth and singled to left field. Brody Barnum drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth, producing his first career RBI.
STATS OF THE GAME: Nebraska recorded just six hits but took advantage of three WSU errors, six of the eight Cornhusker runs were unearned.
UP NEXT: The Cougars will wrap up play at the Husker Classic with a doubleheader, playing Nebraska at 11 a.m. (PT) and UC Riverside 30 min after.