CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (February 22, 2025) – Washington State dropped a 7-6 decision to UCLA after the Bruins rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning at the Kleberg Bank Collegiate Classic Saturday afternoon.
 
The Cougars held a 6-1 advantage heading into the eighth inning but UCLA scored three in their half of the eighth inning and completed their comeback with three more in ninth. Two Bruin runs came home on bases-loaded hit-by-pitches and the winning run scored on a bases-loaded walk.
 
WSU built its lead with a run in the first, three in the second and two in the fifth. The Cougars collected 10 hits and drew 12 walks but combined to leave 15 runners on base. Freshman second baseman Ollie Obenour reached base five times, tripled home a run, scored twice and stole a base while designated hitter Ricco Longo reached base four times with an RBI-double, three walks and a stolen base. Third baseman Luke Thiele collected three hits and first baseman Ryan Skjonsby added two hits including an RBI-double.
 
Cougar starting pitcher Nick Lewis was impressive while working throughout the rain and cold temperatures, allowing just one earned run on four hits and struck out four in five innings.
 
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
Washington State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the opening frame after Obenour was hit-by-pitch, Skjonsby singled to left-centerfield and Gavin Roy walked to load the bases before Logan Johnstone hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Obenour.
 
In the second, Obenour drove an RBI-triple deep to leftcenter field to make 2-0, Skjonsby followed with an opposite-field RBI-double down the left field line and Longo followed with his own opposite-field RBI-double to down the right field line for a 4-0 lead.
 
WSU scored twice in the fifth on RBI-singles from Luke Thiele and Noah Thein to push the lead to 6-1. Lewis worked around a third-inning run with scoreless fourth and fifth innings before lefthanded reliever followed with a pair of scoreless frames.
 
In the eighth, UCLA used four hits to plate three runs and cut the Cougar lead to 6-4. Following a pitching change, UCLA lined a ball into shallow centerfield that Cougar centerfielder Cole Watterson came racing for a sliding catch to end the threat.
 
In the ninth, the Bruins loaded the bases with nobody out after a walk, single to centerfield and a walk. Following a pitching change, the next two UCLA hitters were hit by a pitch to tie the game six before the next batter drew a bases-loaded walk to bring the winning run across.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Ricco Longo doubled in the 2nd, has hit safely in 4 straight games
Noah Thein's RBI-single to right in the 5^th was his 1^st career hit
Max Hartman had his 4-game hitting streak and 4-game on-base streak snapped
 
NEXT UP
Play at the Kleberg Bank Collegiate Classic wraps up Sunday against host Texas A&M – Corpus Christi at 1 p.m. (PT).