March 12, 2011
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Box Score 
PULLMAN, Wash. - Three Cougars each collected three hits and Washington State defeated Utah Valley 8-7 in nonconference baseball at Bailey-Brayton Field, Saturday.
Brett Jacobs, Derek Jones and Patrick Claussen combined for nine of the Cougars' 15 hits and Washington State (8-4) won its third-straight game.
"Offensively, I thought we had a better approach," Cougar Head Coach Donnie Marbut said. "I still think we need to have more urgency, but the bottom line is we won and we have a chance for a sweep tomorrow."
Washington State scored in each of the first two innings for a 4-0 lead. Jacobs led off the first with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jason Monda and scored on a single by Jones. In the second, Claussen singled with one out and Trace Tam Sing was hit by a pitch. Jacobs plated Claussen with a single to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead. With two outs, Taylor Ard reached on an infield single to load the bases and Jones drilled a two-run single to put Washington State on top 4-0.
After the Wolverines (3-9) scored twice in the top of the third, the Cougars responded in the home half of the inning on a run-scoring single by Monda.
Utah Valley tied the game with two runs off Washington State starter James Wise in the fourth and an unearned run against reliever Richie Ochoa (2-0) in the sixth.
The Cougars regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Jones walked, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Tommy Richards.
Washington State added insurance it needed in the eighth when Claussen delivered a two-run single to increase the Cougars' lead to 8-5. The Wolverines tallied two runs in the ninth and had runners at the corners when Paris Shewey fanned Austin Heaps to preserve the victory and earn his fourth save.
The series concludes Sunday with first pitched scheduled for noon. NewsTalk 1150 KQQQ will broadcast the game and a webcast will be available on wsucougars.com.
COUGAR NOTES
Patrick Claussen made his first start of the season...Richie Ochoa is 2-0 with two saves in his team-leading six appearances...Paris Shewey is 4-for-4 in save opportunities.
