Seven innings pitched, seven hits, two earned runs, no walks and a career high eight strikeouts. Redshirt freshman Nick Lewis stared down a tied series with Air Force and did not blink.
Coming into the weekend against Air Force, the Cougs had suffered from a five-game losing streak, which they snapped in the first game of the series, winning 7-5. The Falcons struck back in game two, winning by eight runs and tying the series at one apiece. With both teams jockeying for leverage in the division, Lewis decided to take things into his own hands as he propelled the Cougs to the 10-2 win on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
The seven innings pitched alongside the eight K’s mark a career high in both categories. Lewis did not make a single start in 2024, granting him his redshirt freshman status, but he has found himself with a heavy weight on his shoulders in 2025. Coming into the year, he earned himself a role as one of three starting pitchers for the Cougs alongside junior transfer Griffin Smith and junior transfer Luke Meyers. He has made 13 starts so far this season, and has faced talented hitting teams in Nevada, New Mexico and Fresno State.
Although Lewis got off to a hot start at the beginning of the year, averaging 2.6 earned runs through his first five starts, the beginning of MWC play proved daunting. Through seven starts, he averaged 4.7 earned runs, giving up six to Nevada, nine to New Mexico and eight to Fresno State. However, with WSU and Air Force neck and neck in the division, Lewis clutched up for the boys in crimson, putting up a career performance. He snagged two MWC awards and tied WSU for fourth place in the conference.
Lewis is now the fourth member of the Cougar squad to receive either an MWC player or freshman of the week award and is the first on the team to win MWC pitcher of the week. He marks the first Coug to receive an award since April 7. This absence of the Cougs from much of the MWC’s recognition is the result of a very cold month of April for the team. They put together a record of 8-11 overall in the month and a record of 6-9 in conference play.
The cold months can be attributed in large part to injuries. Junior Max Hartman, who led the team in batting average, suffered an injury on April 12, which has seen him unable to play for two straight conference series. Additionally, Ollie Obenour hurt his hamstring early in the month, causing him to miss an entire series against New Mexico. Although Obenour is back in the lineup, he has been getting starts in right field and his bat has been slow to return to its previous levels of production. Meanwhile, Hartman is still absent from the lineup, and the Cougs have watched key games slip out of their grasp.
After the series win against Air Force, the Cougs have a conference record of 10-14, deadlocking them at fourth place alongside SJSU, Air Force and SDSU. Currently, New Mexico, Nevada and Fresno State are all tied for first place in the division, each with a record of 15-9. With three teams gridlocked at first, and four wrestling for fourth, the few remaining games of MWC play will be a mad scramble to see who leapfrogs who to secure a spot in the tournament.
Only the top six teams in the conference qualify for the MWC tournament, which begins on May 21 in Mesa, Arizona. Currently, it appears that New Mexico, Nevada and Fresno State will most likely qualify for the tournament. However, in a division as tight as the Mountain West, things can change in a heartbeat.
The Cougs have six conference games remaining, as they host UNLV at home May 9-11. Las Vegas currently sits alone in second place, but a series win by the Cougs could cause the two teams to swap places in the division, inching them closer to the postseason.
