College baseball: Washington State knocks off No. 24 Kentucky at Round Rock Classic

From staff reports

Washington State secured an encouraging early-season win for first-year coach Nathan Choate.

The new-look Cougars are already showing promise in the second week of their season. They upset 24th-ranked Kentucky 6-4 on Friday afternoon to open the Round Rock Classic at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas.

WSU (4-1) got a quality outing from senior right-hander Grant Taylor (2-0), who allowed one run on one hit and struck out three over six innings. The Cougars scored three runs in the fourth inning and added two more for insurance in the eighth, then their bullpen overcame a late rally from the Wildcats (4-1).

Cougar center fielder Nate Swarts finished 2 for 2 with three RBIs. He had a two-run triple in the fourth. Sophomore left fielder Max Hartman went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

WSU outhit Kentucky 8-2. Both teams drew six walks.

The Wildcats trailed 4-1 entering the seventh, but used a couple of walks and hit by pitches to trim the deficit.

WSU closer Chase Grillo earned a save. He struck out the final two batters , stranding two Kentucky baserunners.

WSU meets Kansas on Saturday at Dell Diamond.

Vanderbilt 12, Gonzaga 2: The sixth-ranked Commodores (4-2) overpowered the Bulldogs (0-4) at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Commodores recorded 14 hits while the Bulldogs managed five and struck out 11 times.

Shortstop Peyton Miller hit a two-run single to put Gonzaga up 2-0 in the second inning, but it was all Vanderbilt from there. Five straight batters reached base to open the Commodores’ four-run fourth, and Vanderbilt pulled away with a three-run sixth that included three singles and a home run.

Miller and catcher Donovan Ratfield both finished 2 for 3, but the rest of Gonzaga’s lineup went 1 for 21 . Three players homered for Vanderbilt.

Junior left-hander Liam Paddack took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits and six walks. He struck out two in four innings.

Vanderbilt starter Carter Holton struck out eight, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks over five innings.

The teams meet again Saturday.

Whitworth 14, Schreiner 6: Starter Hunter Dryden had a sharp outing and infielder Kevin Corder hit a grand slam in the first inning to headline a productive day for the Pirates (4-0), who piled up 16 hits to defeat the Mountaineers (2-6) at Bob Henry Field in Kerrville, Texas.

Corder, a junior third baseman, cleared the bases with no outs in the first. Senior catcher Aaron Clogston added a solo homer in Whitworth’s three-run fifth.

Dryden (2-0), a senior right-hander from Deer Park, allowed five hits and struck out four over six scoreless innings to earn the win.

The Pirates led 14-0 after seven.

Ten players had hits for Whitworth.

The Pirates struck out just six times.

Whitworth left fielder Elijah Tanner finished 3 for 5 with a double, three runs and two RBIs.

Whitworth and Schreiner play a doubleheader Saturday.