TEMPE, Ariz. (March 17, 2019) –Washington State loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning but could not bring the tying run across in a 6-5 defeat to No. 9 Arizona State Sunday afternoon.
 
The Cougars (6-13, 0-3 Pac-12) left 16 runners on base and saw four players record multiple-hit games led by a three-hit effort by Collin Montez. Garrett Gouldsmith, Rob Tell and Kodie Kolden each tallied two hits while Kyle Manzardo drove in two runs. Arizona State improved to 19-0 and is the last undefeated team in the country after North Carolina State lost earlier in the day.
 
In the first, WSU took advantage of a two-out Sun Devil error as Montez drove a 2-0 pitch into the right-centerfield gap that scored Kyle Manzardo all the way from first who beat the tag at the plate for a 1-0 Cougar lead.
 
In the second, a dropped fly ball by a Cougar outfielder that would have ended the inning allowed a run to score on the play and the next hitter doubled in a run for a 2-0 advantage.
 
In the third, Dillon Plew was hit by a pitch and Gouldsmith singled off the ASU third baseman and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Manzardo gave the Cougars a 3-2 lead with a two-run single into right centerfield. Later in the inning, WSU loaded the bases with nobody out but ASU ended the threat with a lineout double play and a strikeout.
 
In the fifth, the Cougars loaded the bases but the ASU bullpen kept WSU off the board with a flyout and strikeout. In the bottom of the inning, the Sun Devils took a 4-3 lead after the Cougar bullpen hit a batter, allowed a single and a two-out bloop single into left field. ASU added two runs in the sixth on three hits for a 6-3 advantage.
 
In the seventh, the Cougars pushed two runs across on a wild pitch and a Kolden RBI-groundout. WSU threatened later in the inning with runners on first and second but ASU ended the inning with a strikeout.
 
In the eighth, WSU put a runner on second after Montez reached with a bloop double to left field but Alvarez hit a rocket right at the centerfielder and Teel lined out shortstop to end the inning.
 
In the ninth, the Cougars mad things interesting with one out as Kolden singled back up the middle, Koby Blunt singled off the pitcher and Plew was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. The ASU bullpen buckled down and ended the rally with a pair of strikeouts.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Collin Montez doubled in the 1^st to extend his on-base streak to 15 games
Dillon Plew was hit by a pitch in the 3^rd, has reached base in all 19 games in 2019 and in 22 straight dating back to last season
Kyle Manzardo singled in the 1^st to extend his hitting streak to 7 games
Montez matched a career high with 3 hits, did so at Santa Clara earlier this season
Relievers Owen Leonard and Davis Baillie combined to close the game with 3 scoreless innings
 
NEXT UP
Washington State will head to southern California for a nonconference series at No. 22 UC Irvine.
 
TOP MOMENTS
 

The Cougs strike in the 1st as @C_M0nt3z drives in Kyle Manzardo with an RBI-double!

T1, 1-0 Cougs#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/7cciC6xVyw
— Washington State Baseball (@Cougbaseball) March 17, 2019

The Cougs retake the lead with a 2-run single from @KyleTMazardo in the 3rd!

T3, 3-2 Cougs#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/IE2VzLfiWV
— Washington State Baseball (@Cougbaseball) March 17, 2019

WOW! Nice catch by @koby_blunt who went a long ways for that one!#GoCougs | #Pac12BSB pic.twitter.com/hze0aYQQlT
— Washington State Baseball (@Cougbaseball) March 17, 2019