SALT LAKE CITY (April 30, 2023) – Washington State put the tying run on second base in the ninth inning but the Utah bullpen ended the rally to preserve the Ute's 12-11 win at Smith's Ballpark Sunday afternoon.
 
WSU (25-17, 7-13 Pac-12) recorded 16 hits and scored in each of the first six innings but Utah scored seven runs in the first two innings before scoring three in the fourth and two in in the fifth before their bullpen held on for the one-run win. Utah improved to 18-24-1 overall and 7-16-1 in Pac-12 play.
 
Jonah Advincula recorded three hits, scored twice and stole two bases to push his season total to 18, the most stolen bases by a Coug since Mike Wetmore stole 32 in 1996. Elijah Hainline and Bryce Matthews each added three hits and two RBI while Cam Magee recorded a pair of hits.
 
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
In the first inning, WSU loaded the bases and pushed two runs across on a Cam Magee RBI-groundout and a two-out RBI-bunt single from Jake Harvey. Utah answered with three runs over their own in the bottom of the frame.
 
Utah added four runs on three walks and three hits in the second for a 7-3 lead but the Cougars answered back in the third. Hainline doubled to right-centerfield to plate two runs and Matthews later added an RBI-single through the right side to cut the Utah lead to 7-6. An inning later, Harvey tied the game at seven with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Sam Brown from third.
 
In the fourth, Utah took a 10-7 lead with three runs in the inning on a pair of bases-loaded walks and an RBI-groundout. The Cougars again answered in the fifth with a two-run single and a run-scoring sacrifice fly from Brown to tie the game at 10.
 
Utah answered with two runs in the fifth for a 12-10 lead but the Cougars saw Hainline score on a Matthews sacrifice fly in the sixth to make it a one-run game.
 
WSU threatened with two runners on and one out in the eighth but the Utah bullpen ended the rally with a flyout to centerfield and a fielder's choice groundout to shortstop, preserving the 12-11 advantage.
 
WSU threatened again in the ninth, putting runners on first and second with one out but the Utes bullpen again held strong, ending the rally with a pair of strikeouts.
 
NEXT UP
WSU returns to Pullman for a four-game homestand beginning Tuesday against Gonzaga at 6:05 p.m.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Jonah Advincula singled in the 1st to extend his on-base streak to 20 games
Jacob McKeon walked in the 1^st to extend his on-base streak to 20 games
Sam Brown was hit by a pitch in the 1^st to extend his on-base streak to 19 games
Brown singled in the 4^th to extend his hitting streak to 10 games