Zane Mills Fires Complete Game Gem in Win at Cal

Saturday, April 24

Berkeley, CA

4:00 PM

Washington State University

18-15, 6-11

California

19-18, 6-8

Washington State

California

Photo by: Al Sermeno (KLC Fotos)

April 24, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score WSU-California 2 Box Highlights Brian Green Postgame Pac-12 Networks Recap Kyle Manzardo Postgame

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

BERKELEY, Calif. (April 24, 2021) – Washington State junior righthander Zane Mills struck out 10 in a complete game effort to lead the Cougars to a 4-2 victory over California at Evans Diamond Saturday afternoon.

Mills scattered six hits, allowed just two eighth-inning runs to help WSU (18-15, 6-11 Pac-12) even the series and record their first win in Berkley since 2015. The Portland native recorded the Cougars' first complete game effort since Scotty Sunitsch fired a no-hitter at Oregon in 2018. Kodie Kolden, Kyle Manzardo and Jack Smith each recorded three hits while Manzardo added a double and two RBI while Smith scored twice.

California dropped to 19-18 overall and 6-8 in conference play.

KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
In the second inning, Kyle Russell gave the Cougars an early lead with a two-out RBI-double down the left field line to score Smith from second who had led off the inning with a base-hit. I

Mills retired the first eight hitters he faced before Cal reached on a fielding error in the third but Mills ended the frame with a ground back comebacker. In the fourth, the Cougars pushed the lead to 3-0 following a pair of two-out RBI-hits from Kolden and Manzardo.

With one out in the fifth, Mills allowed the first hit of the afternoon but the righthander induced a 4-6-3 double play on the very next pitch to end the inning. Mills worked around a one-out double to post a scoreless sixth inning and retired the side in order in the seventh before running into some trouble in the eighth.

The Cougars pushed the lead to 4-0 with a two-out RBI-single back up the middle from Manzardo in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the frame. Cal doubled home the first run and used back-to-back singles to cut the lead to two. With the bases loaded and two outs, Mills buckled down and ended the threat with a groundout to second.

Mills was at his best in the ninth, opening the inning with strikeouts, allowed a one-out walk but struck out the next two hitters to seal up the win.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Collin Montez started in CF for the second straight game, just his 4^th career start in CF
WSU scored all 4 of its runs with 2-out base-hits

TOP SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Strikeout No. 10 for @zanemills13 gives him the complete game WIN!#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/9YRJfwFtvO
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) April 25, 2021

"Human Hit Machine" sounds about right!@KyleTMazardo makes it 4-0 in the 8th!

WATCH | https://t.co/XjE0tQedyW #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/UWKYfx2EOW
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) April 25, 2021

Another RBI for @KyleTMazardo who makes it 3-0 Cougs!

WATCH | https://t.co/XjE0tQedyW

M4 | 3-0 Cougs#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/JfapidZY5v
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) April 25, 2021

Pretty swing by @kyle_russell710 for an RBI-double in the 2nd!

WATCH | https://t.co/XjE0tQedyW #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/nzhNzg0urr
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) April 24, 2021