PULLMAN, Wash. – Joe Pistorese tossed a five-hit shutout and Washington State downed visiting California 3-0 in the opener of a three-game Pac-12 Conference series, Friday night at Bailey-Brayton Field.

The shutout by Pistorese (2-1) was the first of the nine inning variety by a Cougar in a conference home game since Kyle Kawabata blanked Washington, April 15, 1995. It was also the first whitewashing of California (14-13, 3-4 Pac-12) by Washington State (13-13, 4-3) at home in school history.

“Joe was outstanding tonight,” Cougar Head Coach Donnie Marbut said. “We played solid defense behind him and he got stronger and tougher in the late innings.”

Washington State scored the only runs it needed in the first inning off California starter Daulton Jefferies (2-3). With one out, Trek Stemp and Yale Rosen recorded back-to-back doubles for a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Golden Bears' second baseman Brenden Farney committed two errors on a ground ball off the bat of Ben Roberts that allowed Rosen to score.

The Cougars added a run in the third when Stemp singled, took third on a single by Rosen, and scored on a fielder's choice by Nick Tanielu.

Pistorese threw 127 pitches, 80 for strikes, and did not allow a runner past second base. He retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced, including four of his five strikeouts.

Washington State and California continue their series, Saturday at 2 p.m.