Going on the road to face No. 5 Arkansas in the first series of the season would have been a tough ask for any team. Washington State took the challenge well, taking the Razorbacks into extra-innings in game one and keeping it close in game three, but ultimately fell in a four-game sweep over Presidents Day weekend.
The series opener was a tightly contested affair that extended into extra innings. Arkansas clinched the win in the 10th inning, with a walk-off play that secured the victory. On Valentine’s Day, the Cougs’ hearts were broken by a walk-off sacrifice fly.
In the second game, also played on Valentine’s Day as a doubleheader, Arkansas showcased its offensive prowess. The Razorbacks looked like the fifth-best team in the country as they defeated Washington State decisively, by a score of 14-2.
WSU kept it close in a 5-2 loss in game three on Saturday. Both starting pitchers threw the ball well, but Arkansas scored the decisive runs late in the game to seal the win.
The final game of the series on Monday was another dominant performance by Arkansas, concluding with a 12-2 victory over the Cougs. Junior left-hander Landon Beidelschies allowed one run in five innings and designated hitter Kuhio Aloy hit his second home run of the season.
Throughout the series, Arkansas demonstrated a balanced attack, combining strong pitching with explosive offense.
A pair of brothers, Kuhio and Wehiwa Aloy, did serious damage against the Cougs. They combined for 7 hits in 20 at-bats, including seven runs scored, three home runs, eight runs batted in, six walks and 17 total bases. They spoke to the media after the series about getting to play together for the first time in college.
“It’s awesome,” said Kuhio. “Always tried to play with him at the next level. Been able to do it throughout high school, and it’s just even more of a blessing to be able to do it at the highest level in college baseball.”
Wehiwa denied there being any friendly home run competition between the brothers.
“We’re just trying to hit the ball hard,” said Wehiwa. “So we’ll see at the end.”
With the series sweep, Arkansas improved to 4-0 on the season.
“Another good start,” said Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn on the opening series. “We did what we needed to do.”
Washington State, despite the losses, should feel good about the way they fought, particularly in game one when they had the Razorbacks on their toes. The Cougars starting pitching was solid throughout the series, and their new-look roster will have plenty of time to gel together as the season continues.
Next weekend, the Cougars will travel to Corpus Christi, Texas, where they are set to square off with the Michigan State Spartans on Friday, in their first game as part of the Kleberg Bank Collegiate Classic.
