Cougar baseball hoping to end the season on a positive note

When I was a sophomore in high school, I ran the 800 meters for the track team. I wasn’t all that good, but I wasn’t terrible either.

In the first meet of the season, I got bumped up to the varsity race and was all sorts of nervous. The state champion cross country runner was in the same heat, and I seriously worried he would lap me.

On the final lap, I realized that wouldn’t happen, and I told myself that as along as I didn’t come in last, everything was a-OK. I knew at least one runner was behind me, so I will admit I took it a little easy as I approached the final turn. Suddenly, I could feel the last place runner on my heels. This was an invitational, so there were a lot of folks in the stands watching. Suddenly, me and the next slowest runner were in a dead sprint racing to the finish line to see who could come in 15th out of 16 runners. There was NO WAY I’d finish last!

Thankfully, I held him off and was crowned 15th-fastest out of 16. Hooray, me.

I bring this up because that’s kind of where the Cougar baseball team finds itself heading into today’s season finale against Utah. It hasn’t been a good year for the baseball team, and they are 10th in the 11-team Pac-12 (Colorado does not field a baseball team).

Who might be sitting one game behind them in 11th place, you might ask?

The Utah Utes!

Utah has one fewer conference win than WSU, making tonight’s game for all the marbles. At least the marbles they give to 10th-place teams.

The Cougs took game one of the three-game series on Thursday night. They had a chance to clinch 10th place last night but allowed eight runs in the last three innings to drop a 9-3 decision.

So tonight’s the night. It all comes down to this. A night where boys become men and fight for........10th place.

First pitch is at noon in Pullman.

Tyler Hilinski

James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Today is Tyler’s 22nd birthday.

As you know, his mom and brother are traveling around the state to raise awareness for Hilinski’s Hope. Today they will hike Mt. Rainier. God bless this family.

‘We’re not OK … it’s hard’: Grieving family of Coug QB Tyler Hilinski still at a loss over his death | Q13 FOX News
It's been a devastating year for the Washington State University family. Backup quarterback Tyler Hilinski took his own life in January, shocking the Coug community. Tyler was expected to be the team's starting quarterback after playing in the 2017 Holiday Bowl.

king5.com | Family of WSU QB raises suicide awareness in Seattle
Saturday would have been WSU quarterback Tyler Hilinski's 22nd birthday. His mom and brother are traveling across Washington, thanking people who supported them after they lost Tyler and raising awareness about suicide prevention.

Family of Tyler Hilinski works to reduce stigma over mental illness after WSU QB's suicide | KOMO
The family of former Washington State University quarterback Tyler Hilinski is working to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Their efforts come just four months after Hilinski died from suicide.

Football

Exclusive: Mike Leach on Luke Falk, marijuana, sports betting, bar fights and more | Titans Wire
Luke Falk's college coach Mike Leach sat down with us to discuss the Titans' new QB and a slew of other topics from marijuana to bar fights

Audioboom / 05/19 K&K Reflections: Coach Mike Leach
Tony Kurre and Dr. Josh Klapow interview Washington State Head Football Coach Mike Leach about the #RoyalWedding, football, what he was like as a kid, the differences between Europeans and Americans, and marriage advice.

Rowing

Cougar Varsity Four Advances to A/B Semifinals at NCAA Championships - Washington State University
No. 17 Washington State rowing's varsity four won its Repechage heat to move on to the A/B semifinals, while the varsity eight and second varsity eight moved on to their respective C/D semifinals, Friday, at the 2018 NCAA Championships held at Nathan Benderson Park.

Track and Field

Stephanie Cho Advances to NCAA T&F Championships - Washington State University
Washington State's Stephanie Cho became the latest Cougar to qualify and advance to the NCAA Championships during the second day of the NCAA West Region Preliminary Rounds at Hornet Stadium on the Sacramento State campus.

Non-WSU item of note

California is proposing an amendment that would limit coaching salaries at state schools to $200,000 per year - FootballScoop

There is no way this is happening, and it is also a terrible idea, regardless. I know the subject of salaries of football coaches at public universities is a lightning rod, but 1) it’s the name of the game nowadays, and 2) oftentimes the coaches are worth more than their already large salary, when you determine the value the football team brings to the university.