BERKELEY, Calif. – Cameron Frost connected on a two-run home run and the Cougar pitching staff limited the Golden Bears to four hits as Washington State defeated No. 12 California, 4-2, in the Pac-12 series opener Thursday night at Evans Diamond.

For the second-straight game Washington State (13-15, 2-8) pounded out 10 hits, but it was the pitching that led the way against Cal (20-8, 7-3), snapping a nine-game skid for WSU. Cougar starter Sean Hartnett worked 4 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, scattering two hits with two strikeouts before exiting with runners at second and third with two outs. Matt Bower came in and ended the threat by getting Brett Cumberland to ground out to short.

Bower allowed just one hit in three innings of work, that coming in the eighth when Brett Cumberland was hit to lead off the frame and Mitchell Kranson brought him home on a home run to right-center, cutting the lead to 4-2. Cougar reliever Ian Hamilton worked a scoreless ninth to pick up his seventh save of the year and preserve the win.

Leading 2-0 after seven, WSU added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth as Cameron Frost connected on a two-run home run to right, his first of the season, scoring Shane Matheny for the 4-0 lead. The two RBI gave Frost 17 for the season, tying him for the team lead with Sagdal.

WSU capitalized on a pair of errors by Cal in the fifth to take a 2-0 lead. Jack Strunc reached on a one-out single then scored on Cooper Elliott's double down the right field line. One out later, Elliott scored when Ian Sagdal's grounder was misplayed by first baseman Chris Paul, extending the Cougar lead.

For the game, P.J. Jones and Matheny each had a pair of hits while Frost had two RBI. Bower picked up the win to improve to 5-1 on the season.

These same two teams continue the series Friday with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.

--wsucougars.com--