After heading across the mountains and taking a three-game series from Washington last weekend, the WSU baseball team returned to Pullman, and promptly crashed back to earth. Following a Tuesday defeat to Gonzaga the Cougars were set to face the McNeese State Cowboys, who flew up from Louisiana for a four-game series. Bad, give way to worse.
A 10-2 loss Thursday became an 8-2 loss Friday, which became a 6-2 loss in Friday's night cap. So things looked fairly certain to end in a 4-2 McNeese State win Saturday. Well, the Cougar bats finally came to life, and WSU jumped out to a 10-0 lead after just three innings.
The Cougs couldn't stand prosperity though, as the Cowboys slowly chipped away. By the time the eighth inning rolled around, what had been a 10-0 laugher became an 11-9 nail-biter. The Cougs would score an insurance run to make it 12-9 heading to the ninth, and it was "hang on time," as the great Dave Niehaus used to say.
The ninth was definitely a "save-by-commitee" situation, as it took Caleb McAlister, Layne Bruner and Trenton Dupre to retire the side. McNeese State sent the tying run to the plate with two outs, but would get no further. On the offensive side, six different Cougars got at least two hits. Cam Frost and Patrick McGrath led the way with three hits, a double and three RBI apiece.
WSU heads to Yakima on Tuesday to take on Washington for the final time this season. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m.
Football
Top 10 Non-Conference Pac-12 Football Games For 2016 | College Football News
Boise State has Oregon State on the slate, and other than that, this is the other Power 5 matchup for a team good enough to be in the CFP hunt if everything breaks right. Washington State hasn’t faced the Broncos since 2001, winning 41-20. This is the fifth meeting between the two with the Cougars winning all four other matchups.
Friday Five: College football's most overhyped teams entering 2016 - CBSSports.com
Wazzu's six victories came by an average margin of 12.2 points, but that number is skewed a bit by a 24-point win over 4-9 Colorado and a 21-point win over 2-10 Oregon State. The other four conference wins came by an average of 7.0 points, or a touchdown.
ESPN/ABC Set for Best College Football Opening Weekend Schedule Ever - ESPN MediaZone
Not WSU-related but linking anyway because wooooooo college football! So who's ready to get it started at 4:30am out west?
Cougs in the NFL
Joe Dahl well-equipped to protect the QB
If it comes to pass that rookie Joe Dahl gets playing time on the Lions’ offensive line, his background at Washington State should have him prepared to protect the quarterback.
Beer
Best beer I had this week: Stopped by Cigar City hoping to fill my growler with a limited-release IPA, but it was already gone. The upshot was that I ordered a Neapolitan Brown Ale and the keg kicked when it was about three-quarters full, which made it free, which made it taste even better. I also had a 5 Vulture Oaxacan Dark Ale that was quite good.
Stone, Dogfish and Victory brewery founders poke at the craft beer bubble - Chicago Tribune
Back in 2003, the three craft beer luminaries – Koch of Stone Brewing, Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and Covaleski of Victory Brewing – held a press conference in Boston to announce a new initiative intended to highlight the ascendance of American craft brewing. One person showed up.
Non-Sports
Life as a North Korean Refugee - The New York Times
In addition to helping North Korea find defectors, the Chinese government gives the regime fuel, technology, economic assistance and political support, but receives little in return.