TUCSON, Ariz. (April 21, 2024) – Washington State tied the game with one run in the ninth inning but No. 19 Arizona notched a 7-6 win with a walkoff RBI-single in the 11th inning at Hi Corbett Field Sunday afternoon. WSU dropped a one-run contest in Friday's series-opener.
 
Washington State (18-20, 7-14 Pac-12) received a three-hit game from Crew Parke along with two-hit games from Cole Cramer, Will Cresswell and Max Hartman who also homered. Ely Kennel delivered a game-tying pinch-hit RBI-single in the ninth inning but Arizona (24-14, 13-5 Pac-12) loaded the bases in the eleventh inning and bounced an RBI-single up the middle for the game-winner.
 
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
Arizona built a 3-0 lead with pair of runs in the first inning and another in the second before Hartman evened things up with a three-run shot in the third inning. Cramer bounced a single back up the middle and Crew Parke followed one batter later with a one-out single to right field before Hartman launched an 0-1 pitch to right field for his first homer of the season.
 
The Wildcats answered with a pair of runs in the third and another in the fourth to regain a three-run advantage, 6-3.
 
In the sixth, Russell and Joey Kramer each singled to right field to put runners on the corners with one out but Arizona ended the threat with a strikeout and flyout. The Cougars broke through in the seventh against the Wildcat bullpen as Russell brought a run home with a sacrifice fly and Brandham Ponce delivered a pinch-hit RBI-single into centerfield to make it a one-run game. Kramer followed with a walk to load the bases but Arizona ended the threat with a foul out to first base, preserving a 6-5 lead.
 
Grillo worked scoreless seventh and eighth innings before WSU rallied in the ninth. Parke lined a single back up the middle for his third hit of the day, was bunted to second base by Hartman and one batter later, Kennel bounced a pinch-hit RBI-single back up the middle to tie the game.
 
In the Arizona ninth, Duke Brotherton entered from the bullpen with a runner on first and ended the threat with a flyout to left and an inning-ending double play that saw the Wildcats called for interference at second.
 
In the tenth, Cresswell and Cramer each singled to start the inning but Arizona kept WSU off the board with a groundball double play and a strikeout. Brotherton worked a scoreless tenth with a pair of popups and flyout.
 
In the eleventh, Hartman started the inning with a single but the Wildcats again kept the Cougars off the board with a groundball double play and a groundout. In the bottom of the inning, Arizona loaded the bases with a hit-by-pitch, a sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk and a hit-by-pitch before the next batter bounced a single back up the middle to score the game-winner.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Max Hartman homered in the 3rd inning to extend his on-base streak to 10 games
Kyle Russell singled in 6th inning to extend on-base streak to 13 games
Chase Grillo struck out four in two scoreless innings
 
NEXT UP
WSU returns to Bailey-Brayton for a four-game homestand next week beginning Tuesday against Gonzaga at 6:05 p.m.