PULLMAN, Wash. (March 2, 2024) – Washington State combined for 27 runs and 30 hits in a doubleheader sweep, 10-4 and 17-7 (7 innings), over Rhode Island at Bailey-Brayton Field Saturday.
 
In the game one win, WSU (7-3) tallied 13 hits including three-hit efforts for Max Hartman, Jacob Morrow and Cole Cramer to back Connor Wilford who worked six innings for this third-straight start. Cramer doubled twice and drove in four runs, Joey Kramer scored three times and Hartman doubled twice, drove in two runs and scored twice. WSU built a 5-3 lead with a four-run second inning and pulled away with three more in the seventh before reliever Kaden Wickersham closed things out with a pair of scoreless innings.
 
Game one was suspended Friday in the bottom of the first inning due to snow.
 
In game two, the Cougars collected 17 hits as all nine players in the starting lineup recorded a hit led by three-hit games from Hartman and Kyle Russell. Hartman drove in three, scored three times and stole a base while Russell scored three times as did Nate Swarts who tripled and drove in two runs. Cougar starter Spencer Jones earned the win after strikeout four and working into the sixth inning for the third straight start.
 
WSU turned a 1-1 game into a 10-1 lead with three runs in the fourth and six in the fifth before pulling away with seven runs in the seventh for 10-run rule victory. Rhode Island dropped to 1-7.
 
KEY MOMENTS OF GAME 1
In the first inning, with snow falling Hartman doubled to left-centerfield, was bunted to third by Russell and scored on an Alan Shibley RBI-groundout. The game was suspended due to snow. Play resumed Saturday with two outs in the bottom of the first inning.
 
Rhode Island used three walks and a pair of hits to score three runs in the second but the Cougars answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Cole Cramer lined a two-run double to centerfield, Crew Parke brough in a run with a sacrifice fly and Hartman capped the scoring with an RBI-double down the right field line for a 5-3 lead.
 
Wilford fired three straight scoreless frames, allowed just one run after loading the bases in the sixth and worked a scoreless seventh. WSU added a run in the sixth and put the game out of reach with three runs in the seventh for a 10-4 advantage.
 
INSIDE THE GAME 1 BOX SCORE
Max Hartman doubled in the 1st, has hit safely in all 9 games in 2024
Cole Cramer doubled in the 2^nd inning, has reached base in all 9 games in 2024
Alan Shibley was hit by a pitch in the 4^th inning, has reached base in all 9 games in 2024
Taggart singled in the 6^th inning to extend his hitting streak to 7 games
Connor Wilford worked 6 innings for his 3^rd straight start
 
 
KEY MOMENTS OF GAME 2
In the first, Joey Kramer muscled a two-out RBI-single the other way into right field to give starter Spencer Jones a 1-0 lead. The lefthander opened the game with three scoreless innings before Rhode Island hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to tie things up at one. In the bottom of the frame, WSU pushed three runs across on a Hartman RBI-single, a Rhode Island passed ball and a two-out RBI-single from Alan Shibley for a 4-1 lead.
 
In the fifth inning, the Cougars erupted for six runs on five hits and two URI errors capped by an RBI-triple down the right field line to push the lead to 10-1.
 
The Rams came right back with four runs in the sixth and two in the seventh but WSU clinched the big win with seven runs on five hits in the seventh. In the final inning, Kramer and Will Cresswell delivered RBI-singles, Swarts tripled home two runs and Hartman ended the win with an RBI-single through the right side clinch the 10-run rule.
 
INSIDE THE GAME 2 BOX SCORE
Alan Shibley walked in the 1^st inning, has reached base in all 10 games in 2024
Max Hartman singled in the 3^rd inning, has hit safely in all 10 games in 2024
Cole Cramer walked in the 5^th inning, has reached base in all 10 games in 2024
Taggart tripled in the 5^th inning to extend his hitting streak to 8 games
 
NEXT UP
The series with Rhode Island wraps up Sunday at 1:05 p.m.