SEATTLE – Washington State split its doubleheader with Washington, claiming a 4-1 win in game one before dropping a 6-5 decision after UW scored four runs in the ninth at Husky Ballpark Sunday afternoon.
 
Washington State dropped to 14-23 overall and 6-12 in Pac-12 play while Washington improved to 20-19 overall and 11-7 in league play. Blake Clanton homered in both games to push his season total to five while Justin Harrer homered in the homer, No. 10 of his season.
 
GAME 1 RECAP
Cougar starting pitcher Scotty Sunitsch dominated the opener, allowing just one run on four hits in 7.1 innings while striking out eight to earn his fifth win of the year. WSU received a two-run homer from Blake Clanton, a solo shot from Justin Harrer and an RBI-double from Dillon Plew who finished with two hits.
 
In the third, both teams traded runs as the Cougars received a two-out RBI-double into left centerfield from Dillon Plew that scored Mason De La Cruz. UW answered with a two-out RBI-single to left field in the bottom of the inning.
 
WSU used the long ball to build a three-run lead in the middle innings as Clanton hit an opposite-field two-run homer to left-centerfield in the fourth and Harrer added an opposite-field solo home run to right field in the sixth for a 4-1 advantage.
 
In the eighth, the Huskies used a hit-by-pitch and a single to put runners on the corners with one out. WSU called upon Walker who got a popout to De La Cruz at second for the second out, hit the next batter to load the bases but end the threat by striking out the UW cleanup hitter.
 
Walker worked a scoreless ninth to notch his fifth save of the season and No. 11 of his career, tied for seventh-most in WSU history.
 
INSIDE THE GAME 1 BOX SCORE
Dillon Plew doubled in the third inning to extend his on-base streak to 11 games
Plew recorded his 7^th multiple-hit game in 17 Pac-12 games
Starter Scotty Sunitsch made his 81^st career appearance, 3^rd in WSU history
Reliever Ryan Walker made his 79^th career appearance, 4^th in WSU history
Justin Harrer hit his 10^th home run of the season, the most since Taylor Ard hit 12 in 2012
 
 
GAME 2 RECAP
Washington rallied with a run in the eighth and four in the ninth inning, scoring the winning run on a game-ending wild pitch to take game two 6-5. Cougar starting pitcher Parker McFadden dominated, striking out a career-high nine and allowed one run on two hits in 5.1 innings.
 
In the third inning, the Cougars used a two-out single and a UW error to push two runs across. James Rudkin led off the inning with a single to centerfield and Mason De La Cruz reached on a UW error after putting down a sacrifice bunt. With runners on first and second with two outs, Harrer lined a single back up the middle to score Rudkin and De La Cruz came come on the same play after a UW throwing error hit De La Cruz as he slid into third base. De La Cruz scrambled to his feet and raced home for a 2-0 lead.
 
McFadden dominated through the first five innings. The junior righthander struck out the side in the fifth inning before the UW leadoff man started the sixth with a bunt single to first base.
 
In the seventh, Plew led off with a single to centerfield and one batter later Justin Harrer was intentionally walked before Clanton launched an 0-2 pitch the other way over the left field fence for a three-run homer and a 5-1 lead.
 
In the eighth, the Huskies used a two-out walk followed by a double that was misplayed in left-center and allowed a run to score. Walker entered the game with two outs and runner on second and induced an inning-ending ground out to Plew at third base, preserving a 5-2 lead.
 
In the ninth, UW started the inning with a walk and a two-run homer to cut the Cougar lead to one. The next batter was hit by a pitch and he was bunted to second. Following a Cougar pitching change, UW tied the game with a single to right field and the hitter moved to second a WSU fielding error. A UW infield single deep in the hole to shortstop put runners on the corners and following a pitching change, the second pitch of the at-bat was a wild pitch and the UW baserunner raced home for the game-winner.
 
INSIDE THE GAME 2 BOX SCORE
Justin Harrer recorded his team-best 23^rd RBI of the season
McFadden matched a team-high with 9 strikeouts, Scotty Sunitsch struck out 9 in no-hitter at Oregon
Dillon Plew singled in the 7^th inning to extend his on-base streak to 12 games
Ryan Walker made career appearance No. 80, 4^th in WSU history
 
COMING UP
The Cougars return to Pullman to host a weekend series with No. 5 Oregon State beginning Friday at 5 p.m.