March 30, 2007

Final Stats

BERKELEY, Calif. - Catcher Charlie Cutler drove in three runs, including two during a five-run fifth inning, to lead California past Washington State, 8-4, in the first of a three-game Pacific-10 Conference series Friday afternoon at Evans Diamond.

With the loss the Cougars fall to 15-11 overall, 0-4 in conference play while the Golden Bears improve to 16-13, 1-0 in Pac-10 action.

With the score tied a t 3-3 entering the bottom of the fifth, Cal batted around, scoring five runs on five hits to break open a close game. Cutler and a two-run single while Jordan Karnofsky, Ryan Hanlon and Jeff Kobernus also added RBIS in the frame.

Facing Cal starter Tyson Ross, one of the top pitchers in the conference, WSU struck first the first blow as Travis Coulter led off the game with a double then came home on Jared Prince's two-out, RBI single up the middle. Catcher Greg Lagreid added another run one inning later as he led off the second with a home run to left, his third home run of the season.

After Cal cut the lead in half in the third, WSU made it a 3-1 game in the fourth when Jim Murphy doubled to lead off the inning then scored two outs later on Jeff Miller's sacrifice fly to left. The Cougars added a solo run in the seventh when Miller doubled and scored on pinch-hitter Simi Reynolds' RBI single to short.

WSU collected nine hits on the afternoon, two each by Prince and Lagreid. On the mound, Wayne Daman Jr. started and suffered his first loss of the season as he allowed six runs on 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Steve Kost went the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on two hits with three strikeouts.

Ross picked up his third win of the year as he scattered four runs on eight hits in seven innings of work. Offensively, David Cooper had three of the Bears 12 hits, while Cutler added two hits and three RBIs.

Game Two of the three-game series will be played Saturday afternoon at Evans Diamond with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.

WSU BASEBALL
Washington State	110 100 100 - 4  9 3
California	001 250 00x - 8 12 0
WP - Tyson Ross (3-4). LP - Wayne Daman Jr. (2-1). Save - None.
WSU - Wayne Daman Jr., Steve Kost (5) and Greg Lagreid
CAL - Tyson Ross, Craig Bennigson (8) and Charlie Cutler
HR - Greg Lagreid
WSU Hits - Jared Prince 2, Greg Lagreid 2, Travis Coulter, Scott Suttmeier, Jim Murphy, Jeff Miller, Simi Reynolds
CAL Hits - David Cooper 3, Charlie Cutler 2, Michael Brady 2, Ryan Hanlon 2, Josh Satin, Jordan Karnofsky, Stephen Carlson.
E - Bartlett, Gran, Murphy. 2B - Coulter, Murphy, Millar, Hanlon. 3B - None.