Box Score

Right-hander Cory Abbott seemingly had some of his best stuff early on Sunday afternoon, but a four-run sixth inning, with all of the damage coming with two out, erased a 4-0 Lion lead before LMU (3-4) suffered a 7-4 setback at the hands of Washington State (3-3) from Page Stadium.

Abbott finished the game having allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits and one walk with three strikeouts over 6.0 innings to turn in a quality start in a no-decision. The native of San Diego Calif. retired the first two men without incident in the sixth, but Justin Harrer kept the inning alive with a double. Cory Meyer followed with a RBI-single to put the Cougars on the board before a Blake Clanton single and an infield hit from James Rudkin loaded the bases for Jon Burghardt. The left-hand hitting DH came up clutch, shooting a two-RBI single back up the middle where the ball was fielded by Billy Wilson and fired to third in an attempt to nab Rudkin. The throw skipped just short of the bag and hopped past third and into the visitor's dugout, allowing Rudkin to score the tying run.

Now knotted at 4-4, the two teams traded scoreless frames into the ninth. LMU summoned freshman Braydon Salzman to pitch the frame, and the righty ran into trouble immediately. Andres Alvarez singled to start the frame before Derek Chapman reached on a bunt single to put two men aboard. After a wild pitch and an unproductive ground ball left runners at second and third with one out, Ryan Ramsower came up with what proved to be the game-winning hit, beating out a squeeze bunt where second-year head coach Marty Lees sent the trail runner as well, pushing two runs across on the play to hand WSU a 6-4 lead. Harrer capped the stanza with his second double of the afternoon, splitting the gap in right-centerfield to chase home Ramsower all the way from first base.

Having allowed the three runs on four hits and two walks, Salzman was saddled with the loss and fell to 0-1. Colby Nealy, who faced just one batter en route to ending the eighth, was credited with the win and improved to 2-1.

Harrer finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored, the two doubles and one RBI. Five Cougar batters finished with a pair of hits in the victory, including each of the first four hitters in the order.

LMU did manage to put the first two men aboard in the home half of the ninth, but lefty Scotty Sunitsch slammed the door from there, inducing a pair of ground balls and recording a strikeout to secure his third save of the season.

LMU's offense was led by Niko Decolati, who finished 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a run scored and a RBI. Sophomore Nathan Keavy also contributed offensively, finishing with a two-RBI double in the second to put LMU on the board.

LMU will look to split the four-game series with Washington State on Monday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.