Stemp will miss WSU’s annual Diamond Classic baseball game at Gesa Stadium

With a trio of former Kennewick High players on the roster, Tuesday’s 6:30 p.m. matchup of the Washington State and Gonzaga baseball teams at Gesa Stadium in Pasco is practically a Lions reunion.

Unfortunately for local fans, though, one of the best hitters in the nation won’t be suiting up.

WSU junior second baseman Trek Stemp suffered a lower-body injury over the weekend against the University of Washington and is on the shelf for the next few weeks.

“I’m (mad) because I’m having a great year and I wanted to play here,” Stemp said Monday evening at Gesa while watching his Coug teammates and coaches run a clinic with youth players.

Among those players on the field was WSU sophomore J.J. Hancock. And they will be joined Tuesday by Gonzaga junior Jarod Gonzales. The trio were at the heart of six strong seasons at Kennewick from 2009-14, with all three overlapping for a couple seasons.

Stemp leads WSU in hitting at .355 (65-for-183) with six doubles, 16 RBIs, 32 runs scored and 12 stolen bases in 14 attempts. He is fourth in the Pac-12 in hitting and leads the conference in stolen bases.

Hancock has started five games and played in 10. He is hitting .273 (6-for-22) with two doubles, two RBIs and four runs scored.

Gonzales has played in 23 games for Gonzaga and started 13. He is hitting .255 (14-for-55) with four doubles, a homer, 11 RBIs and 12 runs scored.

Washington State’s trips to Gesa Stadium have been a mixed blessing for the Cougars baseball team.

WSU inevitably draws well, averaging some 2,500 fans a game in the eight contests played since 2011.

However, the Cougars are just 3-5 in those games. Moreover, all three wins have come against the University of Portland. All five losses have come against not Portland.

When the Cougs take the field Tuesday, they’ll face another “not Portland” as Gonzaga makes its first visit to the Tri-Cities.

This story was originally published May 16, 2016 at 9:22 PM with the headline "Stemp will miss WSU’s annual Diamond Classic baseball game at Gesa Stadium."