Box Score

Despite plating a pair of runs in the second inning to claim an early 2-0 advantage, LMU baseball (2-3) dropped the opening game of a four-game home series to Washington State (2-2) by a score of 6-3 on Friday night from Page Stadium.

Junior Jamey Smart finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI, but LMU struck out 11 more times and stranded 14 runners on base in the setback. The Lions struck out 14 times in a loss to Tennessee on Wednesday.

Senior Blake Redman got the start and took the loss for LMU, tossing 4.1 innings and allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits and three uncharacteristic walks. The right-hander from Camarillo, Calif. walked seven batters in 64 innings of work all of last year.

Left-hander Damon Jones battled through 4.0 innings on the hill in a start for Washington State, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks, but he kept the Cougars in the contest. The Cougar bullpen proved strong, logging the final 5.0 innings and allowing just one run on four hits with nine strikeouts.

Reliever Colby Nealy was credited with the victory and moved to 1-1 after tossing 1.1 innings and allowing one run on three hits with three punchouts. Scotty Sunitsch entered with one out in the eighth and got out of a bases loaded jam unscathed, ultimately tossing the final 1.2 innings with three strikeouts to earn his second save of the year.

Justin Harrer, Shane Matheny and Andres Alvarez each collected a pair of hits for Washington State, with all three posting a double, including Matheny with two. Alvarez added two RBI as part of his 2-for-4 night.

LMU will look to even the series on Saturday at 6 p.m.