Box Score  
TEMPE, Ariz. – Washington State rallied with a six-run seventh inning but dropped a 10-7 decision to Arizona State at Phoenix Municipal Stadium Friday evening.
 
The Cougars (15-16, 2-9 Pac-12) received three-hit games from sophomore shortstop Andres Alvarez and sophomore catcher Cory Meyer while junior first baseman James Rudkin reached base four times, walking three times and recording an RBI-single. Sophomore left fielder Justin Harrer recorded two hits and scored twice while freshman centerfielder Danny Sinatro also recorded two hits and scored a run.
 
Arizona State (15-18, 4-10 Pac-12) tallied 15 hits and used a six-run first inning to claim the second straight game from the Cougars.
 
The Sun Devils put up six runs in the first inning, using six hits, a WSU error and balk in the frame for a 6-0 advantage.
 
Washington State threatened in third inning as Alvarez singled to right field, Dillon Plew walked and Harrer was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Shane Matheny stepped in and hammered 1-0 pitch deep to right centerfield but the ASU centerfielder raced over and made a nice catch at the warning track to rob the Cougars of a couple runs.
 
Arizona State scored twice more in their half of the third, using three hits and an error to build an 8-0 lead. ASU added single runs in the fourth and fifth before a two-out RBI-single by Meyer scored Harrer from second for the Cougars.
 
Washington State made their move in the seventh, sending 11 men to the plate and scoring six runs to cut the ASU lead to three, 10-7. Sinatro singled and Alvarez doubled to right field before Plew brought home the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Harrer singled back up the middle and Matheny walked to load the bases for Rudkin who lined a single into center to score Alvarez. J.J. Hancock followed with a walk to force in a run and Meyer added a single to left to score another run. Blake Clanton then brought home a run with a sacrifice fly and Sinatro walked to load the bases. Harrer came home on a wild pitch to cut the lead to the 10-7 but ASU ended the inning with a strikeout.
 
The Cougars received some great defense by Matheny at third base to work out of a jam in the seventh inning. With the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh, junior lefthanded reliever Scotty Sunitsch induced a ground ball to Matheny who dove to his right to field the ball, tagged third with his glove for the force out and then fired home to get the lead runner. Sunitsch ended the inning with a fly out to Harrer in left field.
 
The Arizona State bullpen sealed things up with scoreless eighth and ninth innings. WSU starter Ryan Walker suffered the loss. Sunitsch worked two scoreless innings, striking out one.
 
The series concludes Saturday at 12:30 p.m.