EUGENE, Ore. – Senior lefthander Scotty Sunitsch fired a no-hitter in Washington State’s 7-0 win in the series-finale against Oregon at PK Park Sunday afternoon. It was WSU’s 25th no-hitter in program history.
Sunitch struck out a career-high nine, walked two and hit two batters. Sunitsch needed just 95 pitches to record WSU’s first solo nine-inning no-hitter since 1976 (Eric Wilkins against Oregon State). Last season, Sunitsch was part of a combined no-hitter over Stephen F. Austin, working the ninth-inning. There were two other Cougar no-hitters in 1977 and 1984 but both were seven innings.
Washington State (9-17, 4-8 Pac-12) received a pair of two-hit games from the top two hitters of its lineup, Andres Alvarez and Dillon Plew while freshman Mason De La Cruz tallied his first two-hit game and catcher Robert Teel put the game out of reach with a three-run doubled in the seventh inning. JJ Hancock also drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk and he has reached base in 13 straight games.
In the fifth, WSU strung together four-straight two-out hits to score three runs. Blake Clanton got things started with a line drive single into leftcenter and De La Cruz followed with a beautifully placed bunt down the 3rd-base line for his second hit of the game. Alvarez delivered a two-out single back up the middle to score Clanton for the first run of the game. Plew stepped in a lined a 1-0 pitch into centerfield that the Oregon centerfielder dove for and couldn’t make the grab, allowing two runs to score while Plew raced around to third for his third triple of the season and a 3-0 WSU lead.
In the sixth, the Cougars left the bases loaded after the Oregon bullpen ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts. But in the seventh, WSU again loaded the bases and this time pushed four runs across after a Hancock bases-loaded walk and Teel’s bases-clearing three-run double over the left fielder for a 7-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the seventh, Sunitsch ran into a little bit of trouble, walking the leadoff hitter and hitting the next batter. The senior buckled down to get a popup, a flyout and a strikeout to end the inning.
In the eighth, Sunitsch recorded the first two outs via popup and strikeout before Oregon laid down a bunt but Sunitsch pounced on the ball near the third base line and fired to first for the third out.
In the ninth, a veteran came up with the play of the day. Oregon’s first batter of the inning lined a ball into shallow left field that senior Derek Chapman charged and made a sliding catch for the first out. Chapman had entered the game in the top of the ninth for Justin Harrer who left the game during his ninth-inning at-bat after an awkward swing. Sunitsch struck out the next batter looking before striking out the next hitter before he was mopped by his teammates.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Starter Scotty Sunitsch made his 78th career appearance, tied with Seth Harvey for 3rd in WSU history
JJ Hancock reached on a fielder’s choice in the 2nd, extending his on-base streak to 13 games
Mason De La Cruz recorded his first career multiple-hit game
NEXT UP
The Cougars return home to host a three-game series with California beginning Friday.