WSU splits on opening day
Wayne Daman Jr. had a career-high nine strikeouts in six shutout innings to lead Washington State to an 8-2 victory over East Tennessee State (0-1) on Friday at the Buccaneer Classic baseball tournament in Charleston, S.C.
Third baseman Jeff Miller finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs for the Cougars, including a two-run single in a six-run seventh inning. Matt Thomas added a two-run double in the same inning as WSU took an 8-0 lead.
In the nightcap, first baseman Jim Murphy had a two-run single to cap a four-run WSU first, but Kennesaw State (1-0) rallied to an 8-5 victory. The Fighting Owls tagged WSU left-hander Reese Baker for five runs – four unearned – on four errors in the third inning to take the lead.
Miller went 3 for 4 again for the Cougars, including a solo home run in the eighth.
WSU will continue tournament play against host Charleston Southern this morning.
Swimming
Loren Kilgore led a Whitworth sweep in the men’s 200-meter individual medley, and the Pirates sit in first place after the first day of the Northwest Conference Swimming Championships in Federal Way, Wash.
The Whitworth women are in third, led by Samantha Kephart’s NCAA automatic qualifying performance in the 500 freestyle.