WSU baseball drops home opener to WCU

On a cold night in Pullman, the WSU Cougars’ bats froze over as they lost 13-1 to the Western Carolina Catamounts on Friday night. 
 
Playing their first home game of the year, the Cougars had tough luck facing Jeremy Null, the Catamounts starter who threw seven strong innings, allowing five hits and one run on 85 pitches. Null struck out six batters on the night. 
 
“I’ve just been feeling it, pounding the zone and throwing a lot of strikes,” said Null, who has become increasingly confident in his slider as his out pitch. “You work ahead and it makes your life a lot easier as a pitcher, so I’ve just been trying to get ahead, and that’s what’s really been helping me out.”
 
Cougar outfielder Yale Rosen, who went 1 for 3, said Null was throwing a lot of curveballs all night and that he hit his spots frequently. 
 
WSU starter Scott Simon lasted only four innings, giving up three runs on five hits with three walks. 
 
The Catamounts’ first baseman, Jacob Hoyle, had five RBIs on the night as WCU never let up on the gas pedal, scoring throughout the game. The Cougars mustered their only run in the bottom of the 7th inning. 
 
The two teams play tomorrow at Bailey-Brayton Field at 2 p.m.