PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State nearly tied the game in the bottom of the ninth but a Cougar baserunner was called for interference, resulting in a game-ending double play and a 4-3 win for Saint Mary's at Bailey-Brayton Field Friday. The Gaels scored the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth with a two-out RBI single. WSU won Thursday's series-opener 7-6 in 11 innings after a Saint Mary's error allowed the winning to score.
Saint Mary's (7-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead with three hits in the second inning and nearly had a larger lead but hit into a double play with the bases loaded that ended the third inning.
WSU (3-7) pushed two runs across in the fourth inning as Alvarez punched one the other way down the right field line for a leadoff double and
Dillon Plew walked before
James Rudkin bunted both runners up a base.
Blake Clanton lined the first pitch he saw to left field for a sacrifice fly that scored Alvarez from third. Smith followed with a ground ball through the right side that the Gael second baseman dove and corralled and fired home to attempt to get Plew who was trying to score from second on the play. Plew made a nice move to slide around the SMC catcher and score for a 2-1 Cougar lead.
Saint Mary's regained the lead in the sixth inning, using a bases-loaded 2-run double just past a diving first baseman
James Rudkin and down the right field line to give the Gaels a 3-2 advantage.
JJ Hancock answered for the Cougars in the bottom half of six inning, scoring
Blake Clanton with double over the centerfielder's head that tied the game at three.
In the ninth, Saint Mary's used a one-out single and a walk to put runners on first and second with one out. Cougar relieve
Michael Newstrom struck out the next batter for the second out but the following hitter muscled a single just over a leaping
Dillon Plew at third base to score the runner from second for a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Alvarez and Plew opened the inning with walks before Saint Mary's recorded the first out on a bunt that was popped up. Clanton followed with a walk to load the bases with one out. Smith stepped in a pulled a 1-2 pitch to shortstop who flipped to second for the out who made the throw to first but was too late to get Smith for the double play. WSU thought they had tied the game but the second base umpire ruled that Clanton had interfered with the SMC second baseman during his throw to first base and awarded the game-ending double play for the Gaels.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Jack Smith had an RBI infield single in the 4
th inning, extending his hitting streak to 7 games
Blake Clanton drew three walks
Starter
Isaac Mullins went a career-long 5.1 innings, allowed two runs, scattered 9 hits and struck out 5
Catcher
Cal Waterman threw out two baserunners attempting to steal
NEXT UP
The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m.
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