TUCSON, Ariz. – Washington State rallied with four runs in the eighth inning but had the tying run thrown out at third base in the ninth inning after trying to move up on a wild pitch, clinching a 5-4 victory for Arizona at Hi Corbett Field Friday evening.
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The Cougars (4-13, 0-4 Pac-12) received two hits from third baseman
Dillon Plew and eighth-inning two-run singles from
Justin Harrer and
James Rudkin. Arizona improved to 12-9 overall and 1-3 in conference play behind an impressive start from Cody Deason who struck out 10 and allowed two runs in 7.1 innings.
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In the first, Arizona took a 1-0 lead after an infield single to second base and a pair of walks before a sacrifice fly to left field score the game's first run. Cougar starter
A.J. Block ended the inning with a strikeout and ground out, leaving the bases loaded.
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In the second, the Wildcats added another run after four hits in the inning, scoring once on an infield single for a 2-0 lead. Arizona again loaded the bases but Block ended the inning with a popup and ground out to
Andres Alvarez at shortstop.
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Washington State received singles from
Danny Sinatro and Plew in the third inning but Arizona ended the threat with a strikeout. In the fourth, the Cougars again put a runner in scoring position after
JJ Hancock drove a triple the other way into the left centerfield gap. Arizona starter Cody Deason again kept WSU off the board by getting an inning-ending groundout.
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In the bottom half of the fourth inning, Block struck out the first two hitters before the Wildcats put a man on after a Cougar fielding error. The next batter doubled to right centerfield to score the runner from first for a 3-0 advantage. Arizona pushed the lead to 4-0 with a triple just inside the first base bag and down the right field line allowing a runner from first to score. The Wildcats turned another triple in the seventh into a run after executing a squeeze bunt to make it 5-0.
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In the eighth, the Cougars saw pinch-hitter
Derek Chapman start the inning with a single into right centerfield. One batter later Alvarez was hit by a pitch and Plew followed by drawing a four-pitch walk. Arizona made their second pitching change of the inning and Harrer lined a two-run single the other way into right field to cut the Arizona lead to 5-2. The next batter
Blake Clanton hit a ground ball that the Wildcats tried to turn a double play with but Clanton beat the throw at first that kept the inning alive. Clanton later moved up to second on a wild pitch to put runners on second and third for
James Rudkin who pulled a 3-2 pitch through the left side of the infield for a two-out two-run single, cutting the lead to 5-4. Arizona ended the inning with a strikeout.
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In the bottom of the eighth, with runners on the second and third and one out, the Cougars turned to freshman lefthander
Dylan Orlando who induced a ground ball fielder's choice and an inning-ending strikeout, keeping WSU within one.
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In the ninth, the Cougars saw catcher
Robert Teel reach second with one out after an Arizona throwing error. Sinatro was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. Arizona struck out the next hitter before the game ended after the Wildcat catcher threw out the Cougars trying to move up to third base on a ball in the dirt.
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INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Harrer has reached base in six straight games
Plew recorded two hits, his third multiple-hit game of the season
Starter
A.J. Block, 4 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 4 K
JJ Hancock recorded his first career triple
In his first at-bat of the season,
Derek Chapman had a pinch-hit single to start the 8
th
Catcher
Robert Teel made his first appearance after suffering a leg injury in the fourth game of the season (vs. UC Riverside, 2/18)
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NEXT UP
The series at Arizona continues Saturday at 6 p.m.
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