Behind stellar pitching from starter Skyler Genger (Kent, Wash.), Seattle University took a two-run lead twice late in the game, but Chicago State fought back both times to force extra innings, and then the Cougars used the long ball to defeat the Redhawks, 7-4, in 10 innings Saturday afternoon in a Western Athletic Conference collegiate baseball game at Courter Field on the campus of Bellevue College.
Genger struck out six of the first seven batters he saw, and then made a heads up play in the third inning, throwing home to catch David Wright, who had doubled and advanced to third base, attempting to steal home. He earned two strikeouts in both the fifth and sixth innings to reach 11 strikeouts for the game, tying the Seattle U modern single-game record, plus he moved over 100 strikeouts for the season, becoming the first WAC pitcher to accomplish that feat since Greg Gonzalez of Fresno State struck out 124 batters in 2011.
Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.) led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a double to right-center field and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Sheldon Stober (Kent, Wash.). After Brock Carpenter (Milton, Wash.) drew a walk, Dalton Hurd (Bend, Ore.) laced a double into left field, driving in Olson and advancing Carpenter to third base. Grant Newton (Bend, Ore.) successfully laid down a suicide squeeze bunt, as Carpenter broke for home on the pitch and was able to score the second run of the inning.
Chicago State (12-37-1, 5-16-1 WAC) responded in the top of the seventh inning when Matt Schmidt hit a one-out double and advanced to third on a Redhawk error. Chase Matheson drove in Schmidt with a sacrifice fly to center field, and Sanford Hunt followed with a single to center field, scoring Andy Gertonson from second base with the game-tying run.
Colin Peterson (Bellingham, Wash.) greeted Cougar reliever Nick Kostalek with a double to left-center field, and Landon Cray (Chimacum, Wash.) followed with a triple to right-center field, scoring Peterson. Olson drove in Cray with a double down the right field line, but Jerry Silva replaced Kostalek and induced two groundouts to prevent any further damage.
In the top of the eighth inning, Kyle Doyle (Covington, Wash.) came on in relief of Genger, but he allowed a double to Wright and a single to Cody Freund to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Ryan Freitas (Concord, Calif.) relieved Doyle, but he allowed a single by Quinton Alexander that scored Wright. After a strikeout, Schmidt singled to center field, allowing Freund to score the game-tying run. Freitas picked up another strikeout and a groundout to end the inning with the score still tied at 4-4.
Seattle U had a chance to end the game in the ninth inning, as Cray led off with a single, but he was forced on at second base on the next play. Stober singled to put two runners on base with one out, forcing a Chicago State pitching change. Reliever Dane Mehring retired the next two Redhawk batters on flyouts to end the Seattle U scoring opportunity and send the game into extra innings.
Alexander led off the 10th inning with an infield single, and Schmidt followed with a one-out single to put runners on the corners. Gertonson cleared the bases with his fifth home run of the season, a three-run shot over the left field wall off Freitas. The Redhawks earned one hit in the bottom of the 10th inning, but Mehring picked up a strikeout for the final out as he earned his second victory of the season.
“Skyler threw good enough to win, but our bullpen broke down. Small things cost us late, and we could not get the big hit to prevent the game from going extras,” Seattle U head coach Donny Harrel said. “We need to make some adjustments and be better at executing the little things in order to win the series tomorrow.”
Chicago State finished with 12 hits, led by Schmidt with a 3-for-5 performance, while Alexander, Matheson, and Wright picked up two hits apiece. Seattle U earned nine hits, but also received six walks to put runners on base. Peterson once again played well, going 3-for-5, with Cray and Olson both enjoying 2-for-4 hitting efforts.
Seattle University (25-24, 15-8 WAC) and Chicago State will play the rubber game of the series Sunday, May 10, starting at 10 a.m. back at Bannerwood Park. Before the game, the seniors for Seattle University will be honored in Senior Day ceremonies.