Cougars Drop Series Rubber Game to No. 6 Oregon State

PULLMAN, Wash. (May 5, 2024) – Washington State dropped the series-rubber game with sixth-ranked Oregon State 10-6 at Bailey-Brayton Field Sunday afternoon.
 
The Cougars (20-26, 8-16 Pac-12) received three hits from shortstop Kyle Russell, third baseman Cole Cramer doubled and drove in two runs, first baseman Joey Kramer drove in two runs and centerfielder Nate Swarts homered.
 
Oregon State (35-12, 14-9 Pac-12) scored four times in the first inning and turned a 7-5 sixth-inning lead to 9-5 with a two I the seventh and tacked on another in the ninth. Travis Bazzana homered three times for the Beavers.
 
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
OSU used three hits, a pair of walks and an error to score four in the opening frame but the Cougars answered with a Joey Kramer RBI-single in their half of the inning. Johnston made it a two-run game with an RBI-single through the right side in the second inning but the Cougars left the bases loaded with a strikeout and flyout.
 
The Beavers scored twice in the fourth and once in the fifth before the Cougars scored twice in their half of the fifth on a Cole Cramer RBI-double and another RBI-single through the left side by Kramer, cutting the OSU lead to 7-4. Swarts made it a two-run game with an opposite field solo homer in the sixth but Oregon State answered with a two-run homer in the seventh to push their lead back to four.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Casen Taggart singled in the 1st inning to extend his on-base streak to 8 games
Joey Kramer singled in the 1st inning to extend his on-base streak to 7 games
Nate Swarts singled in the 2nd inning to extend his on-base streak to 9 games
 
NEXT UP
WSU continues its homestand with a Tuesday afternoon matchup against Portland.