WSU baseball (10-17) earned a hard-fought win at home against the Utah Utes (17-10-1) in the last game of the series. Utah defeated the Cougs in two of three games, but the one win could prove to be a turn-around point for WSU. 

WSU lost their last 10 straight games before Sunday’s victory. Sunday’s win could give the Cougs some much-needed momentum to help climb the conference standings.

Game 1:

WSU battled hard in the first game of the series. WSU rallied late, but ultimately came up short and lost 10-9. WSU scored their nine runs on 15 hits with zero errors. Utah scored their 10 runs on 14 hits with two errors.

WSU had five runs going into the bottom of the ninth and came one run short of sending the game to extra innings.

Jack Smith and Kodie Kolden had two RBIs each. Kolden had three hits and Smith had two. Collin Montez and Justin Van De Brake also gave the Cougs two RBIs each in the game. Carter Booth led Utah with four RBIs on two hits. 

Game 2:

WSU struggled in the second game of the series against Utah, losing 10-3. WSU’s Grant Taylor picked up the loss and now stands with a record of 2-3. Jaden Harris earned his first win of the season for Utah. WSU scored their three runs on nine hits. Utah had 10 runs on 16 hits and committed no errors.

Utah scored two runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings to propel them to victory. Smith had an impressive four hits in the WSU loss.

Game 3: 

WSU snapped a 10-game losing streak in walk-off fashion with a 5-4 victory, which could prove to be a season-shifting win. WSU’s win came on the last day of Family Weekend, providing parents with a celebratory send-off. 

Cam Liss earned his first win of the season, putting his record at 1-1. Brady Maylett earned his first loss of the season for Utah. WSU scored their five runs on seven hits. Utah scored their four runs on eight hits.

Kyle Russell put the Cougs on the board first with an RBI single. Utah answered in the second inning with an RBI single of their own to tie the game 1-1. Montez hit into a fielder’s choice, which scored Kolden and gave the Cougs the lead once again, 2-1.     

The score remained 2-1 until the top of the seventh inning when Utah scored on a throwing error to tie the game 2-2. In the eighth, Utah went up by two on an RBI double and an RBI single, 4-2. 

Just three outs away from losing their 11th consecutive game, WSU was able to get hot at the plate. Keith Jones II scored on a balk that advanced Van De Brake to third to cut the lead to 4-3. Van De Brake then scored off an RBI single from Jacob McKeon to tie the game 4-4. Nate Swarts came in to pinch run after McKeon’s game-tying hit. In an 0-1 count, Jake Meyer nailed the ball to right field for a walk-off RBI double. Swarts  rounded third as the throw from right field reached the second baseman. Swarts dove headfirst into home, beating the tag.

This last win against Utah could prove to turn WSU’s season around. The Cougs are currently in last place in the Pac-12 and are in desperate need of some success.

Next, the Cougs head to Spokane to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs for one game at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.