May 20, 2013

Box Score

PASCO, Wash. - A bases loaded to walk to Adam Nelubowich in the eighth inning lifted Washington State over Portland 1-0 in nonconference baseball at Gesa Stadium, Monday.

With the victory, Washington State improved to 22-30. Portland finished its season 18-36.

In the eighth, Pilots' reliever Chad Kjemhus (1-1) walked Trace Tam Sing and Austin Pernell to open the inning. Kody Watts came on to pitch and Collin Slaybaugh moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt. After Jason Monda popped out, Kjemhus intentionally walked Yale Rosen then issues four-straight pitches out of the strike zone to force in the lone run.

Portland's wildness made a winner out of senior Richie Ochoa (2-0), the fourth of five Cougar pitchers. Ochoa threw one pitch to record the final out in the top of the eighth and picked up his ninth-career relief victory, tied for third all-time at Washington State. Junior J.D. Leckenby pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his team-leading sixth save.

Cougar freshman Jacob Schroeder made his first-career start and pitched four innings. He gave up four hits, walked one and struck out six. Freshman Matt Bower logged 2 1/3 innings with a pair of strikeouts and senior Kyle Swannack also registered four outs for the Cougars.

Washington State wraps up its season with a three-game Pac-12 series at nationally-ranked Oregon State, May 24-26. The first game is scheduled for 4 p.m., Friday.