Washington State baseball coach Nathan Choate still recalls the electric atmosphere in the dugout that sparked the Cougars’ resurgence this spring.
After opening the season with a commanding early lead over UNLV, one of the conference’s traditional powerhouses, the Cougars saw the lead slip as runs were surrendered in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, allowing UNLV to surge ahead 8-7. A single run in the seventh tied the game, and Ryan Skjonsby’s ninth-inning home run sealed a dramatic victory.
The turnaround is especially striking when contrasted with the previous two WSU squads, which combined for just 20 wins and 40 losses in conference play. The Cougars finished the regular season at 27-25 overall and 15-9 in the Mountain West, earning the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.
At the heart of the revival are standout performers such as left-hander Nick Lewis, who tops the staff with a 3.39 ERA and an 8-2 record, second-baseman Gavin Roy, batting .365 and ranking fourth in the league, and right-fielder Max Hartman, who leads the conference with eight triples despite missing a dozen games due to injury. Freshman Trevor Smith has also emerged as the leadoff hitter and the conference’s current freshman of the week.
A Turnaround Forged in Adversity
The journey has not been without obstacles. The dissolution of the traditional Pac-12 in August 2023 left Washington State and Oregon State without a home, forcing the Cougars to forge temporary alliances with the Mountain West for football and the West Coast Conference for basketball. In their inaugural Mountain West baseball season, the team posted a 7.54 team ERA, the second-worst in the league, while navigating a schedule riddled with injuries and a decade-long stretch of losing records.
Through conference realignment, injury setbacks and a demanding schedule, the Cougars have cultivated a culture of resilience. Their perseverance has generated pride among players, coaches and alumni, marking the first winning conference record in years and a postseason berth that seemed improbable just a short time ago.