Cougars Drop Finale, Take Series From No. 30 Washington

Sunday, April 23

Pullman, Wash.

12:00 PM

Washington State University

18-19, 4-11

Washington

21-16, 8-7

Washington

Washington State

April 23, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score WSU-Washington BOX 3 Marty Lees Postgame April 23

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State dropped the series finale 7-1 to No. 30 Washington at Bailey-Brayton Field Sunday afternoon. The Cougars won the series after taking two of three games to notch their third straight series win against the rival Huskies.

WSU (18-19, 4-11 Pac-12) received a three-hit game from freshman second baseman Dillon Plew who tallied two doubles and hit his second home run of the season. Junior first baseman James Rudkin also doubled to extend his hitting streak to 11 games and his on-base streak to 14. Washington (21-16, 8-7 Pac-12) avoided a series sweep after getting a dominating starting pitching performance from right-hander Joe DeMers who struck out nine and allowed one earned run in eight innings of work.

The Huskies built an early 2-0 lead with two-out RBI singles in the second and third innings. DeMers kept the Cougars off balance the first four innings before the WSU offense put a couple runners on in the fifth. Rudkin drove a pitch that short-hopped the wall in left centerfield for a double and one batter later, designated hitter Blake Clanton drew a walk to put runners on first and second with one out. Washington State executed a double steal to put runners on second and third but DeMers ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts to keep the Cougars off the board.

Washington tacked on four runs in the sixth, taking advantage of three walks, a hit-by-pitch and one Cougar error in the inning to push the lead to 6-0.

Plew put Washington State on the board in the bottom half of the sixth with a solo homer to right field, his second of the season. UW added another run in the seventh on a squeeze play for a 7-1 advantage.

The Cougars will wrap up their homestand Tuesday against Gonzaga at 5 p.m. on the Pac-12 Network.