Wazzu came up just short as they could not bring it home with a one-run loss against Nevada. The Cougs looked strong at the start, scoring three runs in the first inning.

Freshman outfielder Mason Priello got the Cougs on the board with a double to right center field, scoring senior infielder Gavin Roy who got on base from a hit by pitch. After Priello reached second, senior outfielder Max Hartman smacked a triple down the right field line bringing home Priello. Wrapping up the inning, sophomore infielder Ollie Obenour grounded out up the middle to score Hartman. 

After that first inning, the Cougs bats went quiet as they could not score another run until the ninth inning. Nevada took full advantage of this opportunity as they took a 4-3 lead after scoring one in the second and three in the fourth. Once both teams settled down the game started to turn into a pitching duel between both WSU and Nevada’s starting pitchers as they each went six full innings. 

Heading into the last inning with neither team scoring since the third, Nevada blasted one over the fence to extend its lead to two. The Cougs tried to claw their way back with singles from Priello and Hartman. With runners on first and third, redshirt freshman outfielder Matt Priest grounded into a fielder’s choice to lower the deficit to one run. Two outs in the bottom of the ninth with Hartman on second, Obenour stood up to the plate to try and tie the game up. But with a hard line drive hit right to the third baseman, WSU lost to Nevada by just one single run in this 5-4 loss. 

“Runners at third base with less than two outs that our swings we’re getting too big and didn’t execute,” head coach Nathan Choate said after the game. 

He also discussed that there was not a specific mistake to blame for the loss. 

“When you lose a one run game you can pick out 15 things that make a difference,” he said.

On March 29 the Cougs will face Nevada in the last game of this weekend series to try and bring home another home series win at Bailey-Brayton Field.