PULLMAN, Wash. – Derek Chapman collected four hits and Ben Roberts had two extra base hits as Washington State evened the series at one apiece with a 5-3 victory over Arizona, Saturday at Bailey-Brayton Field.
With the game tied at three, Washington State (25-20, 8-12 Pac-12) picked up two runs in the seventh for a 5-3 advantage as Shea Donlin broke the tie scoring Ian Sagdal and Shane Matheny. Donlin connected for a one-out, bases-loaded RBI single up the middle following a Sagdal triple and two-consecutive walks.
After WSU took the lead, the Wildcats (26-18, 10-13 Pac-12) were kept quiet as Sam Triece and Ian Hamilton closed the door on any potential scoring opportunities. Triece picked up the decision moving to 4-0 on the season working 1 1/3 innings of no-hit relief before giving way to Hamilton. The WSU all-time saves leader worked a perfect ninth shutting down the Wildcats in order to pick up his 11th save of the season. Starter Joe Pistorese worked a solid 6 2/3 innings, surrendering two earned runs on six hits.
Washington State opened scoring in the first taking a 2-0 lead using three-straight hits to start the inning. Chapman, who finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored, extended his hit streak to five with a leadoff single, before coming around to score on an RBI triple by Roberts. Sagdal continued the rally, driving in Roberts with a RBI single down the left field line.
Arizona cut the lead in half in the second with a home run by Bobby Dalbec. The threat continued as a single and double put runners in scoring position, but Pistorese got out of the jam cutting down Justin Behnke with one of his five strikeouts on the day.
Roberts, who finished the day 2-for-5 with one run scored and two runs knocked in, padded the Cougars lead in the fifth by driving in Derek Chapman from second with a RBI double to right-center.
In the seventh, Arizona pushed across two to tie the game at three, the first generated by back-to-back doubles and the second coming across on a throwing error.
Nathan Bannister falls to 6-3 as he suffered the loss, allowing all five runs on 11 hits over 6 2/3 innings.
The Cougars and Wildcats will wrap up the three-game set with the rubber match Sunday at Bailey-Brayton Field. First pitch is scheduled for Noon as freshman Ryan Walker (1-0, 1.98 ERA) will get the nod for WSU and square off against Arizona's Bobby Dalbec (2-5, 4.05).
--wsucougars.com--
