Cougars Back Hawkins, Club 3 Homers in Win at Cal

Friday, May 12

Berkeley, CA

6:05 PM

Washington State University

28-19, 9-15

California

21-24, 9-16

Washington State

CAL

May 12, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Game Highlights Brian Green Postgame Dakota Hawkins Postgame

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

BERKELEY, Calif. (May 12, 2023) – Washington State hit three home runs and Dakota Hawkins worked six innings in a 9-5 series-opening win at California Friday evening.

WSU improved to 28-19 overall and 9-15 in Pac-12 Conference play after Jonah Advincula, Will Cresswell and Cam Magee each homered to back starter Dakota Hawkins who struck out seven over six innings before Caden Kaelber closed things out with three innings of relief.

Advincula homered on the third pitch of the game as the Cougars built an 8-1 lead after scoring in each of the first four innings. Advincula tallied three hits and scored twice, Sam Brown, Jacob McKeon and Elijah Hainline each added two hits while Magee and Cresswell each hit two-run home runs. WSU recorded its 28^th win of the season, the most since posting 29 wins in 2015.

Hawkins won his second straight start and Kaelber earned his fourth save of the season and 12^th of his career, giving him sole possession of the fourth-most saves in program history.

KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
Advincula gave the Cougars the early lead with a leadoff solo homer down the right field line on the third pitch of the game. Cresswell made it 3-0 with an opposite-field two-run home run down the right field line in the second inning. WSU struck for four runs in the third inning as McKeon pulled an RBI-double just inside the third base bag to score Sam Brown from first base, Brown scored on a Cal error and Magee pushed the lead to 7-0 with a two-out two-run blast to right-centerfield.

In the fourth, Advincula punched a two-out single through the left side, stole second and scored on Brown's RBI-double to right field for an 8-1 lead. Hawkins worked around a solo homer in the third inning and ended scoreless fourth and fifth innings with strikeouts.

Cal used a three-run home run to cut the Cougar lead to 8-4 in the sixth but McKeon delivered a one-out RBI-single through the left side of a drawn-in infield for a 9-4 lead. Cal hit a solo homer in the eighth but Kaelber closed the door with a perfect ninth inning.

NEXT UP
The series continues Saturday at 2:05 p.m.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Sam Brown singled in the 3rd to extend his on-base streak to 24 games
Jacob McKeon doubled in the 3rd to extend his on-base streak to 25 games and hitting streak to 6

TOP SOCIAL POSTS

BOOOMMM! @jonah_advincula

Jonah Advincula leads off the game with a no-doubter to right! pic.twitter.com/7xx30hOA3f
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) May 13, 2023

BOOOMMMM! @w_cresswell14

Will Cresswell goes oppo🌮 for a 2-run shot down the right field line in the 2nd!

M2 | 3-0 Cougs pic.twitter.com/xSPEQXQmIV
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) May 13, 2023

BOOM! @Cammagee7

Cam Magee hits WSU's 3rd homer of the night, a 2-run blast with 2 outs in the 3rd!

M3 | 7-0 Cougs pic.twitter.com/6jdnQ1UAmK
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) May 13, 2023

CAM MAGEE DOES IT AGAIN! @Cammagee7 #GoCougs | #WAZZU | @Pac12Network pic.twitter.com/JTf83ZJKiU
— Washington State Baseball (@wsucougarbsb) May 13, 2023