Box Score
PULLMAN, Wash. --- The No. 20 Washington State Cougars topped the Portland Pilots 3-2 in a non-conference baseball game on Wednesday night at Bailey-Brayton Field. The Pilots next conclude the regular season with a three-game West Coast Conference series against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in Spokane this weekend.
Portland suffers its ninth straight loss and is now 31-18 on the year. WSU improves to 33-18.
Wazzu starter Travis Cook (1-3) stifled the Portland bats en route to his first career win. The freshman right-hander allowed just four hits in 6.2 innings. He struck out three and allowed both UP runs on a pair of solo homers.
Reliever Seth Harvey followed Michael Ratigan out of the WSU bullpen and pitched the final 1.1 innings to register his second save of the spring.
UP sophomore starter Kyle Kraus (9-3) was masterful, but he’s saddled with his third straight loss after opening the season with nine straight victories. He allowed just three runs on five hits, while recording four K’s in 7.0 innings.
UP closer junior Chris Dennis tossed the final inning and didn’t allow a batter to reach base. He struck out one.
The Cougars scored a run during each the first, third and fourth innings to claim a 3-0 lead. The Pilots were unable to overcome the three-run deficit, despite getting solo home runs from junior 3B Matt Mardesich in the top of the fifth inning and junior OF Craig Smith in the seventh.
Two of Washington State’s runs came on a pair of RBI ground outs by Matt Fanelli, which came in the first and third innings. Brett Jacobs scored the third run in the fourth inning, courtesy a throwing error by the Pilots.
Each team had five hits and the Pilots committed the game’s only two errors.
The Pilots and Bulldogs are set to open their regular season-ending WCC series at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night at Washington Trust Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
