Courtesy of Washington State Athletics

CLEBURNE, Texas – Logan Johnstone hit a go-ahead two-run double as Washington State rallied with a three runs in the eighth to post a 6-4 comeback victory over Iowa at La Moderna Field Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars rallied from a 4-1 deficit with a run in the sixth, one in the seventh and three in the eighth to notch their third straight win over the Hawkeyes and clinch the series. Johnstone doubled twice and drove in three runs, Max Hartman homered in the seventh to make it a one-run game and Rylan Haider worked the final 1.2 innings to earn the win.

Ryan Skjonsby had two hits, walked, was hit by a pitch and scored twice while Luke Thiele added two hits and freshman reliever Gabe Schneider tossed 1.2 scoreless innings before Haider closed things out. Cougar starter Nick Lewis struck out four and worked into the sixth inning before giving way to the bullpen who closed the game with three scoreless frames.

KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
Iowa doubled sharply to left field on the first pitch of the game, bunted the runner to third and scored on a groundout for an early 1-0 lead. WSU loaded the bases with nobody out after Hartman, Ollie Obenour and Skjonsby were all hit by the pitch to start the Cougar third inning. Iowa held WSU to just one run after a 4-6-3 groundball double play and a groundout to first.

The Hawkeyes answered right back with a solo homer to left-centerfield to lead off the fourth inning and added another run in the fifth with a single, hit-by-pitch, fielder’s choice and RBI-single on a push bunt passed the pitcher.

In the WSU sixth, Skjonsby worked a leadoff walk and Johnstone won a long battle with a double down the right field corner to score Skjonsby all the way from firs, making it a two-game. Iowa went to the bullpen and stranded Johnstone at third with a pair of groundouts.

Hartman made it a one-run game in the seventh with a solo homer to right-centerfield.

In the eighth, Skjonsby lined the first pitch he saw the other way over a leaping Iowa shortstop to start the inning. Pinch-hitter Ricco Longo came off the bench and hammered an 0-2 pitch to left field for a double to put runners on second and third with nobody out. Johnstone followed with an opposite-field two-run double to left-centerfield to give the Cougars a 5-4 lead. Gavin Roy moved Johnstone to third with a sacrifice bunt and Luke Thiele punched a 2-0 pitch the other way for an RBI-single over the Iowa first baseman to score Johnstone and push the lead to 6-4.

In the ninth, Haider retired the first hitters before the Hawkeyes put runners on first and second with an infield single to second and a walk. Haider sealed the win with a ground out to Ollie Obenour at second base.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Max Hartman was hit by a pitch in the 3rd to extend his on-base streak to 5 games
Obenour was hit by a pitch in the 3rd to extend his on-base streak to 6 games
Longo’s pinch-hit double in the 8th extended his team-leading on-base streak 9 games
Cole Watterson had his 5-game hitting streak snapped
Roy had his 5-game on-base streak snapped

NEXT UP
The four-game series wraps up Sunday at 10 a.m. (PT) / Noon (CT).