Marysville Pilchuck alum part of first WSU no-hitter since ’85

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Cody Anderson has only officially been playing for the Washington State University baseball team for a matter of weeks. Yet the Marysville Pilchuck High School graduate has already inked himself into Cougars baseball history.

Anderson was part of the first no-hitter thrown by Washington State pitchers for more than three decades when he and three others combined to no-hit Stephen F. Austin in a 7-3 victory Sunday at Bailey-Brayton Field in Pullman.

“It was pretty cool,” Anderson, reached by phone Wednesday, said about being part of a no-hitter. “I’ve had a couple good games in the past, but to do it in a conference like this against a team like that, it’s a different feeling.”

Anderson, a junior who transferred to WSU following two seasons at Bellevue College, was making just his third appearance in a Cougars uniform. Yet the 6-foot-6 left-hander, who started the game, tossed six hitless innings in the second game of a doubleheader.

Joe Rosenstein, Isaac Mullins and Scotty Sunitsch finished out the game for Washington State’s first no-hitter since Kurt Waananen no-hit Rockford College in 1985, and the first nine-inning no-hitter since Eric Wilkins no-hit Oregon State in 1976.

Anderson threw 90 pitches in his six innings, allowing three unearned runs, two walks and striking out six. He accomplished this despite beginning the game without his best stuff.

“I didn’t have the greatest bullpen to start, but once I got rolling it felt like I could throw any pitch on any count,” said Anderson, who mentioned that his changeup was his most-effective pitch Sunday. “I didn’t have my best stuff but Cory (Meyer), the catcher who caught my last couple starts, we were on the same page. I had confidence in him and we were able to work through the struggles. He had my back and I had his.”

Anderson, who knows a thing or two about no-hitters after throwing a perfect game as a senior at Marysville Pilchuck in 2014, acknowledged Sunday’s outing wasn’t the cleanest no-hitter. Stephen F. Austin scored one run in the top of the first following two errors, then scored two more in the top of the sixth following another error.

The error in the sixth was a close call for the no-hitter. Stephen F. Austin’s Tyler Kendrick laced a liner to center that WSU center fielder Derek Chapman raced toward, but could only get a piece of his glove on. It was ruled an error, keeping the no-hitter intact.

Then after six innings, Cougars pitching coach Dan Spencer decided to remove Anderson, despite the no-hitter, forcing Anderson to play spectator the rest of the way.

“I knew I had a no-no and when Spence took me out I tried fighting to stay in the game,” Anderson said. “But it’s early in the season and it was cold, and coach Spence knows best, so I became the best cheerleader and supporter for my teammates.

“It wasn’t so much tense, it was more that I wanted the other guys on the team to succeed as well,” Anderson added about watching the final three innings. “They put in as much work as I do, so it was more about supporting and having full confidence in them.”

When Sunitsch induced the game-ending double play, it was celebration time.

“I was in the front row (in the dugout), and when the double play happened I jumped over the railing before the ball was even caught at first base,” Anderson said. “I was so happy for the team, I think there’s 25 new guys this year, and to accomplish something that hasn’t happened since ‘85, I was just happy for the group.”

What made it extra special for Anderson was that it came the same weekend as his late grandfather’s birthday. Anderson’s grandfather John Faulkner, the former chief of police of Marysville, passed away in 2013. Anderson, who was close to Faulkner, still keeps one of Faulkner’s purple handkerchiefs in his back-left pocket when he pitches.

Faulkner’s birthday was last Friday, so Anderson felt his grandfather’s presence when he pitched Sunday.

“Not so much on the mound, but when I was in the dugout it felt like he was sitting there,” Anderson said. “I’d carry that out onto the mound, make a pitch, then look up to the sky. There were a lot of emotions running through me that night.”

Anderson is expected to remain in Washington State’s rotation the rest of the season, and Sunday’s performance was an indication why.

“I’m really hard on myself, I set really high expectations, so every start I expect to perform like I did last weekend,” Anderson said. “I know that’s not realistic, but that’s not going to keep me from pursuing it. Knowing my history at this level so far, it gives me extra confidence to know that I really do belong here.”