PULLMAN, Wash. – Tanner Chleborad pitched 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball and Washington State defeated California 3-1 in Pac-12 Conference baseball, Saturday.
Chleborad (2-2) gave up six hits, struck out one and did not walk a batter in registering his longest outing since his freshman season in 2012. The win was the fifth straight for Washington State (14-13, 5-3 Pac-12), and its second consecutive over California (14-14, 3-5).
“It starts on the mound and Tanner was great for us,” Cougar Head Coach Donnie Marbut said. “Our defensive effort was outstanding and our energy was good.”
The Cougars scored first against Golden Bear starter Kyle Porter (4-2) in the third inning. Trek Stemp led off with a double and moved to third on a bunt single by Collin Slaybaugh. Nick Tanielu drove in the run with a sacrifice fly to left. California tied the game in the fifth on a home run by Vince Bruno.
Washington State went back in front with a run in the sixth. Tanielu opened the frame with a double and Yale Rosen, who is 11-for-15 over his last four games, followed with a single. One out later, Matt Mendenhall plated Tanielu with a single.
The Cougars tacked on a run in the eighth against the Golden Bears' bullpen. Tanielu led off with a single and scored on a double by Rosen.
After Matt Bower recorded the final two outs in the eighth inning and Ian Hamilton worked the ninth for his Pac-12 leading 10th save of the season.
The series concludes, Sunday with first pitch scheduled for noon.
