WSU baseball shuts out Portland

PORTLAND — Washington State University starting pitcher Dakota Hawkins fired five shutout innings and Bryce Matthews homered in a 3-0 victory over Portland at Joe Etzel Field Tuesday afternoon.

WSU (24-26) saw Hawkins strike out a career-high 10 and allow just two hits, while Matthews matched a season-high with three hits including an RBI-double and a solo homer. The Cougars put up a run in each of the first three innings before Hawkins and relievers Cam Liss, Chase Grillo and Caden Kaelber combined for 14 strikeouts and two hits in the win.

Hawkins improved to 4-0, Kaelber recorded his sixth save, Kyle Russell singled twice, Jacob McKeon doubled twice and Nate Swarts added two hits including a triple.

Portland dropped to 30-19 overall.

In the first inning, Matthews pulled a double down the right-field line to score Kyle Russell from first base for a 1-0 lead. WSU added another run in the second after Nate Swarts tripled to center field and an Elijah Hainline RBI-groundout.

In the third, Matthews hammered a 1-1 pitch over the right field for a solo homer and a 3-0 Cougar lead. Hawkins retired all three hitters he faced in the third and ended the frame with his seventh strikeout.

In the fourth, Portland recorded its first hit of the game after a two-hopper to the shortstop was bobbled and a hit was awarded. WSU ended the frame with a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play as Will Cresswell fired to second to get the runner to end the inning.

Hawkins tallied two more strikeouts in a scoreless fifth inning, surrendering a single to centerfield before ending the inning with a flyout to center.

Liss took over in the sixth inning and ended the frame with a 6-4-3 double play and retired the side in order in the seventh to preserve the 3-0 advantage.

Chase Grillo worked a perfect eighth and Caden Kaelber closed things out with a perfect ninth.

Next up, WSU will close out the season hosting Arizona State for a three-game series beginning Thursday.