Box Score
TEMPE, Ariz. – Washington State starter
Cody Anderson allowed just one earned run in seven inning but Arizona State rallied with four runs in the ninth to claim a 5-4 victory Saturday afternoon.
The Cougars (15-17, 2-10 Pac-12) tallied 12 hits and jumped to out a 4-0 lead with a three-run first but ASU (16-18, 5-10 Pac-12) received a game-tying two-out pinch-hit 3-run home run and a walk-off RBI single to claim the win.
Freshman second baseman
Dillon Plew tallied three hits, sophomore left fielder
Justin Harrer recorded two doubles and junior lefthander Anderson struck out four and allowed just one run on three hits in seven innings. Junior right fielder
J.J. Hancock and freshman catcher
Cal Waterman each posted two-hit games.
Washington State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first as Plew singled back up the middle and Harrer followed with a double to right centerfield to put two runners on.
Shane Matheny then blooped a ball the other way into left field to score Plew and
James Rudkin added a line drive single into right that scored Harrer. With two outs, Hancock put down a squeeze bunt that he beat out for a hit and Matheny scored on the play for a three-run first.
The offense added another run in the second as Waterman pulled a single through the left side and Plew notched his second hit of the day with a single to left field. Harrer followed with a double to left field that scored Waterman for a 4-0 WSU lead.
Anderson settled in, striking out two in the third, worked around two errors to post a scoreless fourth before striking out another two in the fifth inning. Arizona State used a sacrifice fly to score once in the sixth.
WSU threatened in the seventh as Andres Alavrez and Plew both walked but a fielder's choice, a squeeze bunt was popped up before a flyout ended the inning without a run coming across.
Anderson allowed a leadoff single in the seventh but came back to get a fly out and pop out before receiving a nice defensive play to end the inning. Waterman blocked a ball in the dirt, corralled it and fired to Alvarez at second to get the runner for the third out.
In the ninth, the first two ASU hitters flew out to right but the next two drew walks before pinch-hitter Ryan Lillard hit a three-run home run to centerfield, tying the game at 4-4. The next batter singled, moved to second on a failed pick off and the next batter was intentionally walked. The next hitter pulled a ground ball down the third base line but Matheny made a diving stop to keep the ball in the infield. Following a Cougar pitching change, the Sun Devils lined2 a pitch into center to score the winning run.
Washington State will face Gonzaga Monday evening at 6 p.m. in Spokane.
