Cougars Battle No. 19 Arizona, Drop Wild Series Opener in Tucson
TUCSON, Ariz. (April 19, 2024) – Washington State took a lead with four runs in the top of the ninth inning but No. 19 Arizona rallied with three unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth to take the series-opener 8-7 at Hi Corbett Field Friday evening.
Washington State (18-18, 7-12 Pac-12) received a four-hit night from shortstop Kyle Russell who drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-run single in the ninth but Arizona used a hit by pitch, a dropped fly ball, a walk and pair of RBI-singles to rally for the walkoff win. Arizona improved to 22-14 overall and 11-5 in conference play with their eighth straight conference win.
Four Cougars tallied multiple-hit games led by Russell while Joey Kramer added a homer, Nate Swarts added a double and run scored, while leadoff hitter Max Hartman scored twice and doubled home the tying runs in the ninth inning. On the mound, senior starter Grant Taylor struck out five in six innings of work, pushing his career strikeout total to 218 to break into the WSU Top-10 for career strikeouts and now sits eighth all-time.
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
In the second inning, Cole Cramer pulled a single to left and Swarts lined a double off the Arizona shortstop and into left field to put runners on second and third for Crew Parke who gave WSU a 1-0 lead with an RBI-groundout to shortstop.
In the third inning, Arizona used a pair of walks, a double and single to plate three runs and added a solo homer in the fourth for a 4-1 lead. WSU got a run back with a Kramer sacrifice fly to right field to score Hartman and cut the Wildcat lead to 4-2.
Taylor bounced back from the tough third inning and retired the final eight hitters he faced before giving way to the bullpen in the seventh. Arizona pushed their lead to 5-2 with a pair of doubles in the seventh but Kramer answered with a solo homer to left in the eighth inning to pull WSU within two.
In the ninth, Cramer walked, Swarts poked an opposite-field single to right field and pinch-hitter Logan Johnstone was hit by a pitch. Hartman muscled the first pitch he saw the other way into left field to tie game with a two-run double and Russell followed with his fourth hit of the night, a bouncing single up the middle and past a drawn-in infield to score the go-ahead runs for a 7-5 lead.
In the Arizona ninth, the Wildcats took advantage of dropped fly ball to put runners on second and third with one out. One run came home on an RBI-groundout, the following batter walked before the next two hitters singled to left field to bring in the tying run and game-winning run.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Kyle Russell reached on an infield single to 3rd base in the 1st inning to extend on-base streak to 11 games
Nate Swarts doubled in 2nd inning, has reached base in all 26 games played in 2024 and 27 games dating back to last season, owns a 9-game hitting streak
Max Hartman singled in the 5th inning to extend his on-base streak to 8 games
NEXT UP
The series continues Saturday at 6 p.m.