PULLMAN, Wash. – Andre Mercurio's RBI single in the 11th inning scored Michael Breen with the eventual winning run while Turtle Kahaulua worked six innings in relief to pick up his first win of the season as San Jose State defeated Washington State 7-5 in 11 innings Thursday at Bailey-Brayton Field.
The Cougars (18-18) trailed 5-4 heading into the ninth before Cooper Elliott's two-out, RBI double to right scored J.J. Hancock to tie the game at five, forcing extra innings. After both teams went down in order in the 10th, the Spartans (10-27) jumped on closer Ian Hamilton in the 11th as Mercurio led off the inning with a single and eventually came around to score. San Jose State added an insurance run on Corey Olivet's sacrifice fly to center, pushing the lead to 7-5. The Cougars went down in order in the 11th to end the game.
Kahaulua entered the game in the sixth with runners on first and second, one run already in and nobody out. He got out of the inning without further damage, keeping the game tied at three. He went the rest of the way en route to the win, striking out 11 against just two walks.
Hamilton came on to start the 10th and worked the final two innings as he suffered the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season. He gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits while striking out three.
The Cougars jumped out first, scoring a pair of runs in the third. Wes Hatten started things off with a one-out single to center, extending his hitting streak to a team-best 12 games. One out later, Cameron Frost singled and both he and Hatten scored on Brennon Kaleiwahea's two-run single to right.
The Spartans took the lead in the fifth courtesy of four singles that produced three runs. Mercurio, Ozzy Braff and Brett Bautista each had RBI singles to give San Jose State the 3-2 lead.
Washington State tied it in the bottom of the sixth without the support of a hit. Ben Roberts led off with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, then scored on a throwing error by third baseman David Campbell.
Matt Bower came on in the sixth in relief of Cougar starter Sean Hartnett and after retiring the side in order, did not get out of the seventh. A leadoff walk to Kyle Morrison came back to haunt Bower as a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt produced two runs, giving the Spartans a 5-3 lead.
The Cougars clawed back with a run in the seventh as pinch-hitter Wes Leow beat out an infield single with two outs, scoring Shane Matheny to cut the Spartan lead to 5-4.
The Cougars connected for 10 hits on the night, two from Frost, but stranded 14 runners on the bases.
These same two teams resume the series Friday at Bailey-Brayton Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
