EUGENE, Ore. – Washington State scored six times in the top of the eighth inning to rally for an 8-3 victory at No. 6 Oregon, Saturday at PK Park.
With the victory, the Cougars (19-16, 6-7 Pac-12) evened their three-game Pac-12 series with the Ducks (27-11, 11-6 Pac-12). The rubber game is scheduled for noon, Sunday.
"Joe (Pistorese) was solid for us and our bullpen gave us a good outing," Washington State Head Coach Donnie Marbut said. "Offensively, we got some big hits in the eighth inning."
The Cougars scored in each of the first-two innings to take a 2-0 lead. Kyle Johnson led off the game with a single and stole second. After Patrick Claussen singled, Johnson came home on a ground out by Taylor Ard. In the second, Jason Monda blasted his first home run of the season.
The Ducks scored three times with two outs in the third against Cougar starter Joe Pistorese. Kyle Garlick tied the game with a two-run double and an error allowed the go-ahead run to score.
In the eighth, Johnson was hit by a pitch and Claussen sacrificed him to second. Jimmie Sherfy (3-2) came on in relief and hit Ard. After a wild pitch, Derek Jones walked to load the bases. Adam Nelubowich gave the Cougars the lead at 4-3 when a drilled a 0-2 pitch to center field to score Johnson and Ard.
Jones scored on a pinch hit, RBI-ground out by Collin Slaybaugh. Tommy Richards reached on an error as Nelubowich scored to give the Cougars a 6-3 advantage. Monda singled to put runners at first and second. After a wild pitch, Ian Sagdal knocked in two runs with a single to cap the rally.
Kellen Camus, Spencer Jackson (2-1), Scott Simon and Anthony Drobnick each worked an inning in relief with Jackson picking up the victory.
GAME NOTES
Washington State won a Pac-12 game on the road against a top 10 team for the third time this season…fourth road win against a top 10 team overall in 2012.
