Over their last six contests, WSU baseball (10-8, 2-4 Pac-12), the Cougs are 2-4. In each of their Pac-12 series, they managed a single win, despite overall outsourcing Conference opponents 33-31.

A .500 team at Bailey-Brayton, the team returns home for a five-game homestand starting with two games against Seattle U (6-12, 2-4 WAC), set for Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Over the entire 2024 season, the two programs will face off three total times, with the final boat set for Bellevue, Washington, in April. 

Seattle U, an in-state foe, is a program the Cougs have boasted recent success against. Since May 2021, the Cougs are winners of four straight. At Bailey-Brayton since 2010, the Cougs are an impressive 10-3 against the Redhawks. 

Last season, the Cougs won both games the programs played, beating Seattle U 8-2 at home and 11-2 on the road. 

Since the start of the 2024 season, the bats have been at the forefront of WSU’s success. A team wide batting average of .300 and team OPS of .844 is at the crux of that success, as 1–9 in the batters order have gotten the job done. 

Five Cougs have an OPS above .900 through 18 games and two still hover above 1.000, with Cole Cramer and Nate Swarts being the best bats of the season through the first two Conference series.

Swarts has reached base safely in all 17 games he has played this season, rocking an on-base percentage of .440 thanks in part to his four walks and eight hit by pitches. Cramer on the other hand, has walked 11 times to just 10 strikeouts, showing an innate feel and understanding of the strike zone while reaching safely in 17 of the 18 games played. 

In terms of pitching, Grant Taylor has stood atop the rest. Sporting a 3.67 ERA, he has struck out 24 batters and given up just 23 hits over 27.0 innings. His 1.30 WHIP and .245 opponent batting average pace the four starters the Cougs have used in 2024.

Out in the ‘pen, Kevin Haynes has displayed impressive strikeout potential, punching out 14 batters in 14.2 innings while rocking a 3.68 ERA. Same can be said for Chase Grillo, who does so at an even higher rate, striking out 18 in 11.0 innings with a 4.09 ERA. 

The Cougs get their first bout with Seattle U at 4:05 p.m. Tuesday, with the first pitch of game two set for 2:05 p.m. Wednesday.