Matt Priest Shines as Mountain West Freshman of the Week
In a standout performance, Washington State's outfielder Matt Priest has been named the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Week. This recognition comes on the heels of an impressive week where Priest played a pivotal role in leading the Cougars to a 3-1 record, including a clean sweep of Grand Canyon in Pullman.
Priest, a redshirt-freshman, showcased his skills with five hits, including a triple and a home run, contributing four RBIs and scoring twice. His week began with a bang as he notched a three-hit game against Utah. He then followed up with his first career home run, a two-run blast to left field, during Friday's victory over Grand Canyon.
Saturday's game against GCU highlighted Priest's defensive prowess when he threw out a runner at home from left field in the fourth inning. He capped off the weekend by driving in the game-winning run in the tenth inning with a walk-off RBI fielder's choice.
Hailing from San Diego, Priest has been a consistent presence for the Cougars this season. In 13 starts, he's hitting .245 with 12 hits, including two doubles, a triple, and a home run, alongside nine RBIs and six runs scored.
This accolade marks Washington State's second Freshman of the Week honor this season, following catcher Alexandre Giguère's recognition on March 9 after the Texas State series. Priest's performance not only highlights his potential but also adds excitement for Cougars fans as they look forward to what he brings to the field next.