BSB: Segle's 5 hits propels WSU past UC Riverside for Cougs' 1st 2018 win
Sunitsch career-highs of six innings and 100 pitches, matched career-high with six strikeouts Alvarez recorded two hits, his second straight multiple-hit game Mason De La Cruz started at second base, recording his first career start.
TEMPE, Ariz. – Washington State closed play at the Husker Classic with a 7-6 comeback victory over UC Riverside at Tempe Diablo Stadium Sunday afternoon. WSU erased a 6-1 deficit to UCR with two runs in the seventh inning and four in the eighth while designated hitter Wyatt Segle recorded WSU's first 5-hit game since 2013.
GAME 2 RECAP: The Cougars jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning behind an RBI-single from Justin Harrer. WSU freshman starter Hayden Rosenkrantz cruised through the first three innings before the Highlanders used a pair of home runs to push three runs across in the fourth inning.
UCR later added another in the fifth inning for a 4-1 lead. Washington State (1-3) had an opportunity to cut into the UCR lead in the sixth after Sinatro poked a single to left, Alvarez singled deep in the hole to shortstop and Dillon Plew drew a walk to load the bases. The Highlanders ended the threat by getting a fly out to right field, stranding three to keep the lead at 4-1.
UCR tacked on another two runs in the seventh for a 6-1 advantage. The Cougars answered with two of their own in the bottom of the seventh that made it a 6-3 game. WSU made their move in the eighth, all with two outs. Rudkin singled to centerfield, Segle followed with his fifth hit and Harrer was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
UCR went to its bullpen to face JJ Hancock who singled back up the middle to score two runs and cut the lead to 6-5. Following another UCR bullpen move and a wild pitch that moved runners up to second and third, junior catcher Cal Waterman delivered a two-out two-run single back up the middle to give the Cougars a 7-6 lead. Ryan Walker closed it out in the ninth to earn the win.
THE DECISION
WIN – Ryan Walker (1-0, 2.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K)
LOSS – Matt Hardy (0-1, 0.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R)
NOTES vs. UC RIVERSIDE: Wyatt Segle recorded five hits, the first five-hit game by a Coug since Adam Nelbowich against UCLA in 2013. Danny Sinatro recorded his first career 3-hit game and owns three stolen bases this season. Hayden Rosenkrantz made his collegiate debut, went 4 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 K Ryan Walker tallied his 10th career relief win, tied for fourth-most in WSU history. Jack Smith singled to left field in the eighth for his first career hit. WSU erased a 6-1 deficit with two in the seventh and four more in the eighth.
GAME 1 RECAP: In the opener against Nebraska (3-1), Alvarez got things going in the first inning with a leadoff double to right center and later scored on a James Rudkin RBI-fielder's choice groundout. Nebraska evened things up with a solo homer down the left field line in the second before the Cougs pushed one across in the second on an Alvarez RBI-single that scored Danny Sinatro from second.
Nebraska again answered in the fourth, taking advantage of a pair of hit-by-pitches and evening the score on an RBI-groundout. After six impressive innings, Sunitsch gave way to the WSU bullpen where the Cornhuskers rallied to push two runs across in the seventh after a WSU error brought home one run and a sacrifice fly made it 4-2.
The Cougars cut it to 4-3 after a Wyatt Segle RBI-single in the eighth but Nebraska added a solo homer in the ninth to retake a two-run lead and held on in the ninth. Sunitsch had career-highs of six innings and 100 pitches and equaled his career-high with six strikeouts. Alvarez recorded two hits, his second straight multiple-hit game Mason De La Cruz started at second base for his first career start.
THE DECISION
Win – R. Palker (1-0, 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 0 K)
Loss – Michael Newstrom (0-1, 0.0 IP, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K)
Save – J. Hohensee (SV, 1 IP, 1 K)