PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth but the University of Utah ended the rally with a strikeout to take the rubber game of the series 3-2 at Bailey-Brayton Field Monday night.
The Cougars dropped to 15-27 overall and 8-16 in Pac-12 play while Utah improved to 18-24 and 13-8 in conference play, staying in a tie with Washington for first place in the Pac-12 standings. Washington State received two hits from Justin Harrer and an impressive start from sophomore lefthander Scotty Sunitsch.
Sunitsch was on early, working out of first inning jam to strand two runners, pitched scoreless second and third innings before retiring the next six batters. Sunitsch fired five shutout innings, surrendered just three hits and struck out three.
Hatten backed Sunitsch with a solo homer in the fourth, lofting a ball high over the left field fence for a 1-0 WSU lead.
Cougar right-hander Ryan Walker entered in the sixth inning and stranded two runners but ran into trouble in the seventh. Utah put two runners on with a single and hit-by-pitch before bunting both runners up a base. The next batter was intentionally walked to load the bases. Walker induced a ground ball to Jack Strunc at second who fielded and threw on to second for one out but the turn throw to first sailed wide of the bag and two runs came across for a 2-1 Utah lead.
Utah added another run in the eighth after a double and a single to left to push the lead to 3-1. Ute starter Josh Lapiana was effective throughout the night, allowing just on the solo homer to Hatten before running into trouble in the ninth. Cameron Frost got things going with a one-out single before Ty Johnson singled off Lapiana to put two runners on with two outs. Patrick McGrath dug in and pulled a two-strike pitch of Utah closer Dylan Drachler into the left-centerfield to score Frost and make it a one-run game. Hatten was then hit by a pitch to load the bases but Drachler ended the game with a strikeout.
Lapiana earned the win after striking out six and allowing two earned runs in 8.2 innings while Drachler picked up the save. Walker took the loss after allowing three runs, two earned in 2.1 innings.
Washington State will hit the road for four games in Seattle beginning Wednesday at Seattle University in Bellevue, Wash. Friday, the Cougars open a three-game series at No. 14 University of Washington.
