Cal Poly Drops Game Three 8-3 to Washington State

Sunday, February 22

San Luis Obispo, CA

1:05 PM

4-2

Washington State

2-4

Washington State

Cal Poly

Photo by: Alan Ko

Cal Poly Drops Game Three 8-3 to Washington State

2/22/2026 7:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Washington State scored three runs in the third inning and never looked back in an 8-3 victory over Cal Poly in the third game of a four-game non-conference baseball series on a sunny Sunday afternoon inside Baggett Stadium.

The Mustangs twice narrowed the gap to one run before the visiting Cougars pulled away in the eighth with four runs, utilizing four bunts, five hits, a Cal Poly error and a hit batsman for their five-run advantage.

The win gave Washington State (2-4) its first triumph of the series after Cal Poly (4-2) had posted 9-0 and 3-2 victories Friday and Saturday respectively. The final game of the set will be played Monday at 5 p.m.

The Mustangs, who at 4-1 were off to their best five-game start in 10 years, scored 12 runs on 25 hits in the first two games but mustered just three runs and eight hits Sunday. Cal Poly also has committed seven errors in the series while its pitchers have hit seven Washington State batters.

After two scoreless frames, Washington State bunched together four hits and a walk to produce three runs in the third inning.

Cal Poly answered with two runs in the fourth. Nate Castellon opened with a double and came home on a single up the middle by Alejandro Garza. Garza eventually scored on a Cougar throwing error.

After Washington State added a run in the sixth for a 4-2 lead, Cal Poly made it a one-run game again. In the seventh, Xander McLaurin singled to left field and circled the bases to score on a wild pitch and a pair of groundouts, Dante Vachini picking up the RBI.

The Cougars broke the game open in the eighth. Ryan Skjonsby and Trevor Smith both produced RBI singles sandwiched around a two-run single by Gavin Roy.

Washington State starter Griffin Smith (1-1) earned the victory on the mound by allowing just two runs and six hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out two.

The loss was charged to Oregon State transfer Laif Palmer (1-1) as he gave up four runs and six hits over seven innings with four strikeouts and three walks.

The series finale on Monday features Cal Poly junior right-hander Carson Turnquist (0-0, 0.00 ERA) against Washington State sophomore Gavin Derr (0-0, 27.00 ERA).