The WSU baseball team (9-11) lost to the Santa Clara Broncos (13-7) Wednesday by a score of 9-2. 

This is the Cougs’ fourth straight loss and their sixth in the last eight games. The Cougs’ two runs were scored on six hits with an error. The Broncos scored their nine runs on 11 hits with an error. Elias Farland earned his second pitching loss of the season for the Cougs while Alex Reelfs earned his second win for the Broncos. 

1st Inning: 

The first inning was a zero for the Cougs hitting-wise, their only base runner came by way of an error from the Broncos. The runner was left stranded as WSU struck out in the next at bat. The Broncos got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first, scoring on an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. 

2nd Inning:

The Cougs struck out twice and grounded out to go three-up three-down for another zero on the scoreboard. Santa Clara got the bases loaded in the second, but the Cougs pitching stood strong and got a much-needed strikeout to end the inning. 

3rd Inning:

The Cougs sent six batters to the plate in the top of the third and scored two runs off an RBI double from Bryce Matthews to take a 2-1 lead. WSU’s pitching answered in the bottom half of the inning by striking out the side. 

4th Inning:

The Cougs went three-up three-down with a flyout, groundout and strikeout for another hitless inning. The Broncos took control of the game in the bottom half, scoring five runs on three hits, including a two-run home run and a double with the bases loaded, to take a 6-2 lead over the Cougs. 

5th Inning:

The Cougs sent five to the plate in the fifth, but only registered one hit for another scoreless inning. In the bottom half of the inning, the Cougs gave up three more runs off a two-RBI single and an error to extend the Broncos lead to 9-2. 

6th Inning:

Two WSU strikeouts made for a quick top half of the inning. The Broncos got a hit, but were caught stealing second base for a scoreless inning. 

7th Inning:

WSU still went hitless in the seventh with two groundouts. The Broncos could not register a hit either in the inning. A groundout ended the seventh and marked the second consecutive scoreless inning for both teams.

8th Inning:

The Cougs finally registered a hit in the eighth on a single from Matthews. With a runner already on-base, Matthews reached second on a wild pitch to give WSU runners on second and third. However, a groundout ended their half of the inning and the two Cougs were left on base. Santa Clara went three-up three-down with two groundouts and zero hits.

9th Inning:

The Cougs got one hit in the ninth, but could not string anything together and went scoreless to end the game with the Cougs losing to Santa Clara 9-2. 

The next time the Cougs play will be a three-game series against Stanford at 6:05 p.m. Friday in Stanford, Calif.