Down 2-0 in the bottom of the ninth, the Cougs were in striking distance of the No. 6 ranked Oregon State Beavers despite not scoring yet. Even with two outs to begin the half-inning, things were not over.

One strike away from losing, Nate Swarts took a ball on a 3-2 count to bring the tying run to the plate. Ely Kennel got hit by a pitch and as each subsequent batter could win the game win one swing of the bat, Logan Johnstone singled in a run, Kyle Russell got hit by a pitch and Cole Cramer struck out on a 2-2 count. 

Falling just short, WSU baseball (19-25, 7-15 Pac-12) lost 2-1 to No. 6 OSU (34-11, 13-8) despite out-hitting the Beavs six to four. 

Starting pitcher Grant Taylor kept his impressive senior season going, pitching 6.0 innings, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out 10 batters. Taylor tallied double-digit punch outs for the second time in as many games and for the third time this season.

While the Cougs lost, Taylor notched his seventh quality start of the season and brought his season ERA down to 3.40. Despite playing tough competition throughout the season, he has taken his game to a new level in his final campaign. 

Taylor and a combination of three relievers held the potent Oregon State offense to hitting .133 (4-for-30) as a team, but a second-inning home run and third-inning run scored on a bases-loaded walk had been the difference between an extra-inning showcase and a loss. 

Offensively, a lack of scoring did not come from a lack of getting on base as the team drew three walks and six hit by pitches while also tallying six base hits. Unfortunately, hitting just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position meant the Cougs only mustered one singular run.

Johnstone and Crew Parke both had multi-hit games, with Max Hartman and Joey Kramer tallying one a piece to bring the Cougs total to six. The middle of the lineup, batters three through five struggled, going a combined 0-for-11 and striking out four times.