After WSU scored the first of the game, they surrendered seven unanswered and lost 7-1 to the Arizona Wildcats to lose the series. The Cougs are now below .500 for the first time this season and have their toughest Pac-12 opponents still to go. 

WSU (18-19, 7-13 Pac-12) lost to No. 19 Arizona (23-14, 12-5) Saturday to lose their fourth-consecutive series. The last time the Cougs secured a series victory came back on March 23, when they won the second game of an eventual sweep over Arizona State. 

Just under a month removed from that win, the Cougs fell to 7-13 in Pac-12 play with the loss to the Wildcats. 

The Cougs struck first in the loss as in the top of the fourth, Cole Cramer singled to drive in Joey Kramer to bring in the first run. From there, the Cougs offense had just three hits and never got a runner back to third base. 

Arizona responded immediately to the Cougs opening run. In the bottom of the fourth, the Wildcats scored their first run of the game on Connor Wilford. 

In the loss, Wilford pitched into the seventh inning. Finishing with 6.1 innings pitched and allowing four runs, three of which were earned. He struck out seven and walked just two, but he gave up four extra-base hits, including a home run.

Six different Cougs had at least one base hit with leadoff hit Max Hartman being the only player on the side of WSU with a multi-hit game. Although he struck out twice, he also had been the only WSU player with an extra-base hit in the loss. 

Hartman’s season average rose to .327 with his two-hit performance, the third-best mark of Saturday’s lineup, behind Cramer (.362) and Nate Swarts (.346). 

WSU has one final game against Arizona, a noon first pitch Sunday in Tucson, Arizona.