BSB: Pitching, defense stifle Nevada as Cougs clinch series
RENO, Nev. –Washington State clinched its series at Nevada with a 3-1 victory at Don Weir Field at Pecolle Park Saturday afternoon. The Cougars (4-7) scored twice in the fourth and once in the seventh to take two of three from a Nevada (7-3) team that swept a three-game series at Long Beach State last weekend.
WSU saw Danny Sinatro drive in a run with a sacrifice fly and later tripled and scored. Cougar starter Hayden Rosenkrantz fired five shutout innings, allowing just five hits and matched a career-high with five strikeouts, earning his first career win.
Junior reliever Davis Baillie worked the final 2.2 innings, struck a career-high four and earned his first career save.
In the fourth, the Cougars loaded the bases with nobody out after a leadoff single from Andres Alvarez, Kyle Manzardo was hit by a pitch and Collin Montez dropped down a perfectly placed bunt for a single. Rob Teel brought home Alvarez on a RBI-fielder's choice groundout to shortstop and Danny Sinatro followed with a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Manzardo for a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Rosenkrantz ran into some trouble after allowing a pair of singles to start the inning. Both runners moved up to second and third on a wild pitch but the righthander buckled down to get a pair of strikeouts before ending the threat with a popout to Dillon Plew at first.
In the fifth, Rosenkrantz allowed a pair of two-out singles but ended the threat and his day with his fifth strike out, matching a career high.
In the sixth, freshman lefthander Tyson Guerrero took over for Rosenkrantz and retired the first two batters before allowing a double off the left field wall. The next batter bounced a ball back up the middle that Alvarez fielded deep up the middle, faked a throw to first and fired home to get the baserunner at home who was trying to score from second on the infield single, preserving a 2-1 lead.
In the seventh, Sinatro led off the inning by pulling a ball down the right field line for a triple. Sinatro came home on the next play after Brody Barnum's ground ball to third base was thrown low and away from first base, allowing Sinatro to score for a 3-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the frame, Nevada put a runner on second with two outs and was able to score a run after leftfielder Collin Montez nearly made a diving catch on a sinking line drive but the ball short-hopped his glove and the runner came around to score, cutting the Cougar lead to 3-1.
In the ninth, Nevada led off the inning with a double just inside the third base bag and down the left field line. Baillie got the next batter to chop a ball to Kodie Kolden at third base who caught the runner at second base who had strayed too far off the bag and Kolden fired to Garrett Gouldsmith at second who made the tag for the first out. The next batter chopped a ball in front home plate that catcher Rob Teel pounced on and threw to first and Baillie clinched things with a ground out to Alvarez at shortstop.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: Dillon Plew walked in the 3rd and has now reached base in all 11 games in 2019. . .Rosenkrantz matched a career high with 5 strikeouts, set opening weekend at Saint Mary's. . .Tyson Guerrero worked 1.1 innings, allowed 1 run on 2 hits and struck out 2. . .Davis Baillie recorded a career high 4 strikeouts, recorded 1st career save.
NEXT UP: Washington State returns to Pullman to host a three-game series with Cal State Northridge beginning Friday.