BSB: Dominant outing by Block for naught in narrow loss to CSU Bakersfield

Washington State received seven dominant innings from senior lefthander A.J. Block but CSU Bakersfield rallied with runs in each of the final three innings to post a 3-2 win in the ninth inning Saturday afternoon.

Block was impressive in the his 2020 debut, going a career-high seven innings and allowed one earned run on six hits and struck out four in the no-decision.

In the third inning, Tyler Lasch reached on an error and Jake Meyer drew a walk before both were bunted up to second base. Justin Van De Brake followed with an RBI-single through the left side that the CSUB shortstop dove to knock down but the Cougars took a 1-0 lead on the play.

Block was efficient throughout the day, ending the first two innings with ground ball double plays and faced the minimum through the first four innings. Block stranded a runner in the fifth and worked a 1-2-3 sixth before running into trouble in the seventh. CSUB pulled a one-out double down the left field line and one batter later, a bloop single down the left field line brought in the tying run.

In the eighth, CSUB took advantage of a couple of two-out WSU miscues as a throwing error put runner on and the next batter walked. The next runner rolled a single back up the middle, Cougar centerfielder Nate Swarts charged and fired home ahead of the runner but CSUB dove wide of the tag and went back to touch home for the go-ahead score.

In the ninth, Garrett Gouldsmith led off the inning with a walk, was bunted to second and moved to third on a groundout before pinch-hitter RJ Lan punched a two-out RBI-single the other way through the right side to tie the game up.

In the bottom of the inning, CSUB started the inning with a single, followed with a sacrifice bunt and a hit-by-pitch put runners on first and second with one out. The next hitter lined a single back up the middle to bring home the winning run.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: Collin Montez recorded a pair of hits, the first 2-hit game by a Coug in 2020. . .Block set a career-high with 7 innings. . .Freshman Brady Hill made his collegiate debut, appearing in centerfield in the 9th

NEXT UP: The series wraps up Sunday at noon PT with the rubber game of the 3-game set.