Nevada 9, Washington State 4
Sunday, March 30, 2025
Reno, Nev. - Don Weir Field at Peccole Park

WP: Logan Saloman (2-0)
LP: Jake Tedesco (0-5)

RENO, Nev. - Nevada completed a three-game sweep of Washington State Sunday with a 9-4 victory at Don Weir Field. The win puts the Wolf Pack in an early tie atop the Mountain West standings with New Mexico at 6-3.

Sean Yamaguchi hit a two-run homer and broke a 3-3 game with an RBI single in Nevada's four-run sixth, and Jacob Doyle hit his second three-run homer of the series in that same frame to put the game in the fridge.

But it was clutch relief pitching from Logan Saloman and a brilliant defensive play from Junhyuk Kwon which set up the pivotal sixth for the Wolf Pack (17-10, 6-3 MW). Saloman came on for starter Casey Burfield with one out and a runner on third in the top of the sixth, and proceeded to strike out Ricco Longo on three pitches. After a two-out walk to Will Cresswell, Jack Wiese lined a ball up the middle that was poised to get through and plate the go-ahead run, but Kwon went diving to his right and snagged it, preserving the tie.

The Pack then took advantage in its half of the sixth. With two out and Jackson Waller on second, Washington State reliever Jake Tedesco misfired on a pickoff throw, allowing Waller to take third. After a walk to Jayce Dobie, Yamaguchi bounced a single up the middle, scoring Waller to put the Pack in front, 4-3. Doyle patiently waited out the count to 3-1 in the ensuing at-bat, then crushed a Tedesco fastball deep and out to left-center, breaking it open at 7-3.

Saloman put the Cougars (9-18, 4-5 MW) down in order in the seventh, closing out his second relief win of the season, going 1.2 scoreless innings with a strikeout.

Tedesco fell to 0-5 with the loss for Washington State, charged with all four runs in the sixth.

Yamaguchi opened the scoring with a two-run shot, his second homer of the series, to highlight a 2-for-3, three-RBI day. Kwon bolstered his defensive gem with a solo shot in the third, as Nevada went up 3-0 early.

Wolf Pack starter Casey Burfield took a no-decision despite four strikeouts and three runs allowed over 5.1 innings. Burfield cruised until the fourth, when Logan Johnstone doubled in a pair of runs then came across on Gavin Roy's double in the next at-bat as the Cougars tied it up 3-3.

Nevada returns to action this Wednesday at 2:05 p.m. at Don Weir Field against UC Davis. The contest, originally scheduled for Tuesday night, has been moved due to expected inclement weather over Donner Pass early in the week.