LOS ANGELES – Washington State rallied to put the tying run on second base in the ninth inning but could not complete the comeback, dropping its Pac-12 Conference opener 6-5 to No. 14 UCLA at Jackie Robinson Stadium Friday afternoon.
 
WSU (4-10, 0-1 Pac-12) had four players record two-hit games including Justin Harrer who homered in the ninth. The Bruins (11-4, 1-0 Pac-12) erased the Cougars' 3-0 lead with three runs in the third inning and three more in the sixth.
 
The Cougars jumped out to the early lead in the first inning after Alvarez led off the game with a double off the left field wall on the first pitch of the game. Following a wild pitch and a lineout Jack Smith scored Alvarez with a ground ball to shortstop that was mishandled, allowing Smith to reach.
 
In the second inning, WSU pushed the lead to 2-0 after JJ Hancock started the inning with a single back up the middle and James Rudkin followed by pulling a single just inside the third base bag to put runners on the corners. Hancock raced home a couple pitches later on a UCLA passed ball.
 
In the third inning, the Cougars pushed around run across after the loading the bases and scoring a run after a Hancock RBI-fielder's choice made it 3-0. UCLA took advantage of a Cougar miscue to even things up at 3-3 in the bottom of the inning. The Bruins scored a run with an RBI-single and put runners on the corners with one out. Following a foul out, UCLA lined a ball towards right field that sailed over the head of the Cougar right fielder for a two-out two-run double.
 
After the Cougars left two runners on in their half of the sixth, UCLA took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Bruins used four hits and a pair of WSU wild pitches in the inning to take a 6-3 lead.
 
In the seventh inning, Jack Smith singled back up the middle with one out and Clanton followed with an opposite field double off the left field wall to put runners on second and third with one out. The Bruins went to the bullpen twice in the next two hitters and kept the Cougars off the board with a strikeout and ground out.
 
WSU threatened again in the eighth inning, loading the bases with two outs after a Cal Waterman single and walks by Alvarez and Dillon Plew. UCLA went to the bullpen and rain forced a 40-minute rain delay. Following the delay, the Bruins ended threat with a strikeout, preserving the three-run lead.
 
In the ninth, the Cougars again rallied this time scoring two runs and putting the tying run on second. The inning started with a diving stop by the UCLA second baseman to get Clanton who nearly had his third hit of the game. Harrer stepped in and hit a solo homer to straight away centerfield, Hancock followed with a double the other way into left centerfield and Rudkin then pulled a single into left field to put runners on the corners. Cal Waterman drove home Hancock with a ground out to second base to cut the Bruin lead to 6-5 with two outs. WSU went to its bench and called upon Wyatt Segle who popped out to shallow left field for the game's final out.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Washington State left 13 runners on base
Cougar starter Isaac Mullins went 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 1 K
Clanton, Harrer, Hancock and Rudkin each recorded two hits
Andres Alvarez recorded his team-leading 5^th double of the season
Justin Harrer hit his first homer of the season
Harrer has homered against UCLA each of the last three seasons
With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the eighth, there was a 42-minute rain delay
 
NEXT UP
The series with No. 14 UCLA continues Saturday at 2 p.m.