The Seattle University baseball team held the lead through the vast majority of the game, but Washington State scored a run in the eighth inning and one in the ninth inning to pull out a 2-1 victory Thursday evening at Bailey-Brayton Field.
In the bottom of the ninth, Taylor Ard led off with a double off Seattle U reliever Garrett Anderson (Kennewick, Wash.). Anderson forced Derek Jones, the Cougars' leading hitter, to pop out, and then he intentionally walked pinch hitter Ty Jackson to set up a force play. Patrick Claussen drew a walk to load the bases with one out, and Ian Sagdal sent a fly ball into center field deep enough to allow pinch runner Nate Blackham to score the winning run.
After the game was scoreless in the first four innings, Seattle U drew first blood in the top of the fifth inning, as Bryndon Ecklund (Elma, Wash.) led off with a double to left-center field and Doug Kincaid (Portland, Ore.) followed with a double down the right field line to drive in Ecklund with the first run of the game. However, the Redhawks stranded Kincaid on third base to end the inning without any further tallies on the board.
Washington State (14-12) finally broke through in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Sagdal led off with an infield single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Collin Slaybaugh. Kyle Johnson drove in Sagdal with a single to center field, tying the game at 1-1. The Cougars had put runners on base in previous innings, but hurt their own cause with a pickoff, a runner caught stealing, and two double plays.
Both starting pitchers did not factor into the decision despite pitching eight solid innings apiece. Seattle U's Brandon Kizer (Marysville, Wash.) threw 104 pitches, allowing seven hits and two walks while striking out two batters, while J.D. Leckenby of Washington State scattered four hits while picking up two strikeouts along the way. Scott Simon earned the victory for the Cougars after pitching the top of the ninth inning.
Seattle University (14-11) will face Washington State in the second game of the weekend series Friday, April 6, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Bailey-Brayton Field. Dan Giuliani will broadcast the game live on GoSeattleU.com, and links to live stats and live video will also be available on the baseball schedule page of the Redhawks athletics website.