PORTLAND (May 17, 2022) – Washington State starting pitcher
Dakota Hawkins fired five shutout innings and
Bryce Matthews homered in a 3-0 victory over Portland at Joe Etzel Field Tuesday afternoon.
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WSU (24-26) saw Hawkins strike out a career-high 10 and allow just two hits while Matthews matched a season-high with three hits including an RBI-double and a solo homer. The Cougars put up a run in each of the first three innings before Hawkins and relievers
Cam Liss,
Chase Grillo and
Caden Kaelber combined for 14 strikeouts and two hits in the win.
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Hawkins improved to 4-0, Kaelber recorded his sixth save,
Kyle Russell singled twice,
Jacob McKeon doubled twice, and
Nate Swarts added two hits including a triple.
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Portland dropped to 30-19 overall.
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KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
In the first inning, Matthews pulled a double down the right field line to score
Kyle Russell from first base for a 1-0 lead. WSU added another run in the second after
Nate Swarts tripled to centerfield and an
Elijah Hainline RBI-groundout.
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In the third, Matthews hammered a 1-1 pitch over the right field for solo homer and a 3-0 Cougar lead. Hawkins retired all three hitters he faced in the third and ended the frame with his seventh strikeout.
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In the fourth, Portland record it's first hit of the game after a two-hopper to the shortstop was bobbled and a hit was awarded. WSU ended the frame with a strike-em-out throw-em-out double play as
Will Cresswell fired to second to get the runner to end the inning.
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Hawkins tallied two more strikeouts in a scoreless fifth inning, surrendering a single to centerfield before ending the inning with a flyout to center.
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Liss took over in the sixth inning and ended the frame with a 6-4-3 double play and retired the side in order in the seventh to preserve the 3-0 advantage.
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Chase Grillo worked a perfect eighth and
Caden Kaelber closed things out with a perfect ninth.
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INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Kyle Russell made his 1
st career start at shortstop
Drake Anderson made his second career start, started at second base
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NEXT UP
WSU will close out the season hosting Arizona State for three-game series beginning Thursday.
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