PULLMAN, Wash. (April 12, 2024) – Washington State scored two runs and put the trying run on second base in the ninth inning but California held on for a 4-3 victory in the series-opener at Bailey-Brayton Field Friday evening.
 
The Cougars (17-15, 7-9 Pac-12) scored twice in the ninth and put runners on first and second with two outs before California ended the rally with a game-ending strikeout. WSU received two hits from Nate Swarts who had missed the previous nine games while Cole Cramer and Max Hartman each drove in runs in the ninth inning. WSU combined to leave nine runners on base.
 
Washington State starter Grant Taylor struck nine and held Cal to three runs on seven hits while striking out nine. The Golden Bears (18-14, 6-10 Pac-12) took the lead with a two-run homer in the fourth, added a solo shot in the sixth and tacked on another run in the ninth that proved to be the game-winner.
 
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
In the first inning, the Cougars got things going with two outs as Casen Taggart walked, Joey Kramer singled up the middle, Alan Shibley walked to load the bases and Swarts pulled an RBI-infield-single to shortstop for the early 1-0 lead.
 
Taylor opened the game with three straight scoreless frames before a single and home run made it 2-1 Cal in the fourth and pushed the lead to 3-1 with a solo shot in the sixth inning.
 
Cal pitcher Luke Short took over to start the second inning and kept the Cougars off balance throughout the evening. WSU put two runners on in the fourth and a runner on in the fifth and sixth innings but were kept off the board.
 
In the ninth, Cal pushed the lead to 4-1 with a pair of singles and two WSU errors. In the bottom of the ninth,
 
Swarts tripled off the left field wall and scored on a Cramer RBI-groundout. Crew Parke followed with a double down the left field line and scored on Hartman's RBI-single back up the middle. Pinch-hitter Will Cresswell followed with a single back up the middle to put the tying run on second base with two outs but Cal ended the rally with a strikeout.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Nate Swarts singled in the 1^st inning, had missed the previous 9 games, has reached base in all 22 games played in 2024
Grant Taylor struck out 9 to push his career strikeout total to 213, two away from moving into the WSU Top-10 for career strikeouts (215, Joe Pistorese, 2012-15)

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