BSB: Cougs drop season opener to UC Riverside; Face Nebraska Saturday
TEMPE, Ariz. – Washington State dropped its season-opener, 8-1, to UC Riverside at the Husker Classic at Tempe Diablo Stadium Friday afternoon.
The Cougars received a solid performance from starting pitcher Isaac Mullins, who went five innings, struck out six, walked just one and allowed two runs, one earned on five hits.
In the first inning, UCR used three singles and scored two runs off an error and sacrifice fly. The Cougars cut the lead to 2-1 in the fourth as Hancock pulled a one-out double down right field line and Blake Clanton singled back up the middle to score Hancock from second with two outs.
Mullins retired six straight UC Riverside batters in fourth and fifth innings before giving way to the WSU bullpen in the sixth.
The Cougars left two runners on in the sixth inning before the Highlanders put the game out of reach with six runs on five hits in the seventh for the 8-1 advantage.
THE DECISIONS
Win – UCR Trenton Toplikar (1-0, 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 2 BB
Loss – WSU Isaac Mullins (0-1, 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 7 K, 1 BB)
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Danny Sinatro recorded a bunt single and later stole second.
JJ Hancock doubled and scored in the fourth inning.
Arizona native Ryan Ramsower doubled down the right field line in the ninth inning.
Wyatt Segle and Robert Teel each recorded their first career hits as Cougs.
Pitchers Will Heward and Bryce Moyle each made their WSU debuts on the mound.
Dustin Yates, Collin Montez and Brody Barnum each made their WSU debuts with pinch-hit at-bats in the ninth inning.
The game was played at Tempe Diablo Stadium, the spring training home of the Los Angeles Angels.
STATS OF THE GAME: WSU left eight runners on base and UCR went 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
UP NEXT: The Cougars face the host school, University of Nebraska at Noon (MT)/11 a.m. (PT) Saturday.