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BSB: Utah Series Recap; Gonzaga next

Washington State clinched a series win over Utah with a 5-3 victory at Smith’s Ballpark Sunday afternoon.

The Cougars (16-11, 4-8 Pac-12) claimed Friday’s opener and held off a couple late-inning threats Sunday to clinch their first conference road series since 2017 and post the first Pac-12 conference series win under head coach Brian Green.

WSU hosts regional rival Gonzaga Tuesday afternoon in Pullman.,

Washington State received two hit-games from shortstop Kodie Kolden and first baseman Kyle Manzardo, who both scored twice while right fielder Collin Montez drove in two runs.

Four WSU pitchers combined to allow just two earned runs as junior Dakota Hawkins picked up the win with four innings of relief and redshirt sophomore Caden Kaelber picked up his first career save after striking out two in the ninth.

Utah dropped to 8-17 overall and 4-8 in conference play.

KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME

In the opening frame, Kolden reached on an error and Manzardo punched a single the other way into left field and one batter later, Kolden scored on a Montez RBI-single to second. A couple pitches later, Manzardo raced home on a Utah wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.

In the fourth, Utah loaded the bases with nobody out and the Cougars went to the bullpen where Hawkins did a solid job, allowing just one run on a sacrifice fly to keep the WSU lead.

In the sixth, Utah put a runner on second after a single and balk but Hawkins ended the threat with a groundout to first base, preserving the three-run advantage.

In the eighth, the Cougars loaded the bases following a single, walk and hit-by-pitch and Keith Jones II was also hit by a pitch, allowing a run to score for a 5-1 advantage. In the Utah eighth, a pair of singles started the inning and the Utes used a two-out RBI-groundout to cut the WSU lead to 5-2.

In the ninth, Utah pushed a run across after a pair of singles and a Cougar error and later put runners on second and third with two outs but Kaelber struck out the final hitter to seal up the win.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: Freshman RHP Tyler Hoeft made his 1st career start, worked 3 innings, struck out 2. . .Senior LHP Michael Newstrom made his team-leading 17th appearance, worked scoreless 8th.

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GAME 2 RECAP:

Washington State committed a couple late-inning defensive miscues and Utah scored seven times in the seventh inning to hand the Cougars a 10-7 defeat at Smith’s Ballpark Saturday afternoon in Game 2 of a 3-game series.

WSU (15-11, 3-8 Pac-12) received two-hit games from designated hitter Tristan Peterson and right fielder Collin Montez along with a two-run home run from centerfielder Justin Van De Brake.

Junior starting pitcher Zane Mills worked into the seventh and struck seven but five Cougar errors allowed nine unearned runs to score.

Utah improved to 8-16 overall and 4-7 in conference play after erasing a 7-3 deficit with a seven-run seventh inning, using five hits and two Cougar errors to take the lead as all seven runs scored with two outs.

KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME

The Utes jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first inning after two Cougar errors and back-to-back two-out RBI hits.

WSU erupted for six runs in the fourth inning for a 6-2 lead. Jacob McKeon tripled home a run, Peterson followed with an RBI-single to left field, one batter later Jack Smith doubled down the right field line to score two runs and Van De Brake followed with a two-run shot to left field.

Mills retired eight straight hitters at one point following the two first-inning runs. The junior allowed another unearned run on a Cougar error win the fourth but struck out two in a scoreless sixth inning before Utah rallied in the seventh.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: Jacob McKeon tripled in the 4th inning to extend his on-base streak to 14 games.

GAME 1 RECAP

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