PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State dropped the series-opener to the University of Arizona 14-5 at Bailey-Brayton Field Friday Night.
The Cougars (24-20, 7-12 Pac-12) took an early lead scoring twice in the first. Cooper Elliott started the rally with a one-out single to right, before Ian Sagdal followed with an opposite-field double down the left-field line, moving Elliott to third. Both Elliott and Sagdal advanced 90-feet on a sacrifice fly by Ben Roberts and P.J. Jones scored Sagdal with a two-out RBI single through the left side. Roberts finished the night 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a RBI.
In the third, the Wildcats (26-17, 10-12 Pac-12) took advantage of a two-out miscue and strung together back-to-back singles to tie the game at two apiece.
Arizona broke the game open in the fifth, adding five runs to take a 7-2 lead highlighted by a three-run homerun. The Wildcats offense didn't let up as they added two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and eighth and three more in the ninth.
The Cougars pushed across one run in each the sixth, eighth and ninth innings and finished with 13 hits. Sean Hartnett (3-4) suffered the loss surrendering seven earned runs over 4 1/3 innings, walking six and striking out three.
Starter Cody Hamlin (5-3) allowed four runs over his eighth innings of work and struck out one.
Washington State and Arizona return to Pac-12 Conference action Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. Southpaw Joe Pistorese (6-4) will take the mound for the Cougars, while Nathan Bannister (6-2) will get the nod for the Wildcats.
--wsucougars.com--
