WSU barely reaches first base

Washington State University was right to formally reprimand its baseball coach. Unfortunately, the slow and evasive defense of coach Donnie Marbut gave the impression that wins mattered more than the leadership a university should provide.

The reprimand, announced Tuesday, comes two weeks after The Seattle Times reported that Marbut had lied about his academic credentials on his résumé for WSU and at Edmonds Community College. The article also laid out a number of issues regarding financial problems in the Edmonds athletic department during Marbut's time as its director. The story also showed that Marbut had falsely claimed to have won some honors as a player at Portland State University. Appropriately, the reprimand is only for his inflated résumé, which claimed a teaching certificate from St. Martin's College.

WSU Athletic Director Jim Sterk will have to make another decision when and if the state Ethics Board reviews the financial problems at Edmonds, which were discovered by the state auditor. Sterk will have to take swift and severe action against his coach if Marbut goes foul from this point forward.

WSU must now work to ensure future actions are based in sound decisions that demonstrate it is a place students, alumni and fans will continue to be proud of.