SALT LAKE CITY – Washington State dropped the opening game of the series at Utah 2-1 in 10 innings after a game-ending error allowed the winning run to score at Smith's Ballpark Thursday afternoon.
 
WSU (18-21, 4-12 Pac-12) received two-hit games from sophomore shortstop Andres Alvarez, freshman second baseman Dillon Plew and junior third baseman Shane Matheny. The Cougars tied the game in the ninth with an RBI-single from Plew but left two runners on to end the ninth. WSU left 14 men on base throughout the afternoon while Utah (19-17, 9-10 Pac-12), the defending Pac-12 Conference champions, tallied just four hits and took advantage of three Washington State errors.
 
The Cougars threatened a couple times in the early innings but Utah starter Jayson Rose stranded two runners to end the second, another runner at second in the third and one more at third to end the fourth.
 
Utah pushed a run across in the second inning after walk, a stolen base and a base hit through the left side that saw the run score just ahead of Justin Harrer's throw to the plate from left, giving the Utes a 1-0 lead.
 
In the sixth, the Cougars loaded the bases after a Dillon Plew single and a pair of walks by Matheny and Justin Harrer but Rose ended the inning with a strikeout, stranding three more WSU baserunners.
 
Jones settled in after allowing the second inning run, working around a couple jams to keep the Utah lead at 1-0. Jones gave way to junior reliever Colby Nealy who worked a scoreless sixth before a couple defensive miscues put two runners on in the seventh. Senior lefthander Trenton Dupre entered the game and issued a walk that loaded the bases but ended the inning with a fly out to Danny Sinatro in centerfield.
 
In the eighth, Matheny pulled a 1-1 pitch just over the first baseman and down the right field line for a one-out double, his 13^th of the season. Blake Clanton then walked and one batter later, Sinatro worked a walk to load the bases and freshman catcher Cal Waterman hammered the first pitch he saw but right at the third baseman for the final out of the inning.
 
Washington State tied things up in the ninth after chasing Rose. JJ Hancock got things started with a bloop double into left centerfield that chased Rose and Plew greeted the Utah bullpen with a ground ball single back up the middle that scored Hancock from second. Junior first baseman James Rudkin then singled to center to put runners on first and second but the Utah bullpen ended the inning with a fly out and strike out.
 
In the tenth, the first two Ute hitters reached on walks and the next batter put a bunt down but Waterman made a nice play to pounce on the ball and fire to Matheny at third base to force out the lead runner. Walker got the next batter to fly out to left field for the second out and followed with another fly ball to left but the ball was misplayed, allowing the winning run to come home for Utah.
 
Jones was impressive, allowing one run on four hits while striking out four in five innings to get the no-decision. Walker went 2.1 innings, allowing just the one unearned run while striking out one. Utah starter Jayson Rose struck out seven and scattered six hits in 7.1 innings.
 
The series continues Friday at 10:30 a.m. (PT).