BSB: Cougs host Arizona in key Pac-12 series
After posting their first Pac-12 series win of the season (and the Brian Green Era) at Utah a week ago, Washington State resumes Pac-12 Conference play this weekend, hosting No. 13 Arizona for a weekend series beginning Friday afternoon at Bailey-Brayton Field.
No fans will be allowed to attend the games in accordance with Whitman County’s change to Phase 2 of the State of Washington guidelines.
Washington State enters the weekend with a 16-12 overall record and 4-8 in Pac-12 Conference play after dropping a non-conference contest to Gonzaga in Pullman Tuesday night.
The Cougars are led by preseason All-American junior first baseman Kyle Manzardo, who owns a .358 batting average and ranks second in the Pac-12 with 18 extra-base hits and third with 31 RBI.
WSU eyes improvement in all three major phases of the game - hitting, pitching and defense - after Tuesday night's 9-0, six-inning loss to Gonzaga. Cougar hurlers issued 10 walks in 6 innings to Zag hitters and have now walked 166 opposing batters in 28 games, an average of 6 per outing.
In addition, WSU has committed 12 errors in the past six games.
"We're not playing the defense we need to play," WSU coach Brian Green said. "We make too many mistakes on the mound. Silly, stupid stuff. We've had a few outfield errors where guys pick up their head. We've seen a spike in errors since we started Pac-12 play. That's not by mistake. In conference play, guys are faster and stronger. As soon as you feel that defensively, you start to press."
Arizona enters the weekend ranked as high as No. 13 in a couple national polls with a 21-10 overall mark, including a 7-5 Pac-12 Conference record.
The Wildcats dropped a 10-inning contest at Grand Canyon Tuesday after taking two of three from California in Tucson last weekend. Arizona leads the all-time series, 45-26, against the Cougars and have claimed the last five series.
Washington State is looking for its first series win against Arizona since 2014 and first in Pullman since 2009.
CURRENT PAC-12 STANDINGS
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