Submitted by Fox First at Ten on March 18th
Courtesy Washington State athletics
TEMPE, Ariz. - Washington State baseball made history, Sunday. The Cougars won a series at No. 14 Arizona State for the first time in school history with an 11-8 victory at Packard Stadium.
Washington State (11-7, 2-1 Pac-12) broke open a 1-1 tie with a six-run fourth and chased Arizona State (12-7-1, 1-2 Pac-12) starter Adam McCreery (1-2) in the process.
The inning began with a double by Yale Rosen and a walk to P.J. Jones. Jason Monda executed a sacrifice bunt and reached first when the ball was misplayed to load the bases. A ground ball off the bat of Brett Jacobs was booted for a second error and Rosen scored to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead. Collin Slaybaugh was hit by a pitch to force in a run and McCreery was lifted in favor of Mark Lambson.
A wild pitch allowed Monda to score and Trace Tam Sing doubled to plate Jacobs and Slaybaugh. Trek Stemp singled and, two batters later, Nick Tanielu drove home Tam Sing with a sacrifice fly to extend Washington State's lead to 7-1.
"This weekend was a solid effort by our club," Cougar Head Coach Donnie Marbut said. "We won the two games where we were the best team on the field."
Cougar starter Scott Simon (1-0) carried the big lead into the sixth before the Sun Devils scored three times and Kellen Camus was called in out of the bullpen.
Washington State had an immediate response in the top of the seventh and pushed the lead to 10-4. Adam Nelubowich and Tanielu were each hit by a pitch to open the frame. Rosen singled home one run and Monda capped the rally with a two-run single.
Arizona State scored twice in the home half of the seventh to pull within 10-6 and the score remained that way until the ninth when both teams tallied runs.
For the Cougars, Tanielu led off with a single and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Jacobs. In the Sun Devils' half of the inning, Arizona State scored twice on three hits and a hit batter to close within 11-8. The tying run reached the plate, but J.D. Leckenby induced David Graybill to bounce into an around-the-horn double play to seal the victory.
Washington State returns to Pullman and begins a nine-game homestand, Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Gonzaga.
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