WSU allowed 31 runs against Arizona State over the weekend as the Cougars dropped their third straight Pac-12 series.

The Cougars (9-16, 2-7) gave up 28 runs combined in the two losses on Thursday and Saturday, with 18 coming in the series finale. Head Coach Marty Lees didn’t classify the weekend as the team’s first wakeup call, but rather just the latest.

“No the wakeup call happened about 20 games ago,” Lees said Saturday. “That’s a fair statement. That’s not trying to be down on anybody but we do have some players in this program that are good players, that can really help this team in the future. Sometimes you need be patient with some, sometimes there’s a kick in the tail for others and a reality check for others.”

Senior first baseman Patrick McGrath carried the lumber for the Cougars’ offense in their 18-3 loss Saturday, driving in two runs and recording two doubles. McGrath, currently second on the team in hitting with a .342 average, knows that others will start to come along with the ebb and flow baseball.

“Right now we just have to find some consistency,” McGrath said Saturday. “It’s there some day and not there other days. Once we do that, that will help our pitchers and takes pressure off them. We’ll find it, it’s there.”

The proof of the Cougars’ inconsistent form benefited them on Friday as they broke out for nine runs to get junior right-handed starter Ian Hamilton (1-6) his first win of the season. With the game tied at 2-2, WSU used a combination of small ball and big swings to push five runs across in the bottom of the fourth.

Sophomore third baseman Shane Matheny got the inning going with a perfectly executed butcher boy swing to double down the right field line. Redshirt junior Trek Stemp, whose hitting streak ending on Saturday at 12 games, followed with a groundout to score freshman catcher Ty Johnson.

The Cougars added two more runs in the seventh to clinch the 9-3 win over the Sun Devils. Hamilton lasted five innings, allowing two runs while striking out four. But his first win did not feel like a win to the Cougars’ ace.

“Well I didn’t pitch that well so I’m pretty pissed about it,” Hamilton said Friday. “It doesn’t really feel like a win. I was just leaving pitches up and gave up too many runs.”

WSU travels to Spokane on Tuesday for a non-conference game against Gonzaga, before returning to Pac-12 play on Friday against Arizona.