May 14, 2011

Box Score

PULLMAN, Wash. - Derek Jones drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the 10th inning and Washington State knocked off No. 26 Arizona 7-6 in the opener of a three-game Pacific-10 Conference series at Bailey-Brayton Field, Saturday.

With two outs in the 10th, Kyle Johnson doubled off Arizona (30-17, 9-10 Pac-10) reliever Matt Chaffee (5-3). Cody Bartlett was intentionally walked and Trace Tam Sing was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jones who was issued the free pass on a 3-2 pitch.

The victory was the third of the season for Washington State (21-22, 6-13 Pac-10) in its last at bat during conference play. The Cougars took advantage of five walks, two hit batters and a balk from the Wildcats' bullpen in three innings of work.

"Derek is such a good hitter that you cannot throw one down the middle to him in that (bases loaded) situation, so he is the right guy to have up there for us," Cougar Head Coach Donnie Marbut said. "I am proud of the way we battled back and we got contributions from a lot of guys."

Arizona built a 5-1 lead with two runs in both the first and fourth innings and another in the sixth against Cougar starter Adam Conley. Washington State's first run came in the third when Adam Nelubowich hit a pitch off the left field foul pole leading off the inning for his first-career home run.

In the sixth, the Cougars scored five times against Arizona starter Kurt Heyer to take a 6-5 lead. Nate Blackham was hit by a pitch and Jones reached on an infield single to open the frame. Taylor Ard followed with a line drive over the wall in left-center field to cut the Wildcats' lead to 5-4. An error allowed Patrick Claussen to reach base and Matt Argyropoulos dropped down a sacrifice bunt for the first out in the inning.

Nelubowich tied the game with a single through the left side and Collin Slaybaugh gave the Cougars the lead with a triple to center field.

Conley worked through eight innings and handed the ball to Washington State closer Paris Shewey in the ninth. The Wildcats tied the game 6-6 on a walk, a sacrifice bunt, an error and a run-scoring single.

Anthony Drobnick (1-1) worked a 1-2-3 top of 10th to earn his first-collegiate victory. The series continues at noon, Sunday.