After a scoreless first inning, SeattleU took the early lead as Riley Tompkins (Lynnwood, Wash.) and Nate Roberts (Silverdale, Wash.) led off the second inning with back-to-back singles, followed by a walk drawn by Ryan Somers (Sammamish, Wash.) to load the bases. Tompkins scored on a double play for the Redhawks' first run.
Washington State (1-0) responded in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with two singles and a hit batter. Cody Bartlett was hit by a pitch to force in the first run, and Garry Kuykendall beat out a throw from Redhawk shortstop Nick Latta (Tacoma, Wash.), which got away from Tompkins, allowing three Cougars to score. Kuykendall reached third on his grounder and eventually scored on a passed ball to give Washington State a 5-1 lead.
Matt Argyropoulos hit a leadoff home run in the third inning, followed by two more Cougar runs in the fourth inning to increase Washington State's lead to 8-1. SeattleU fought back, loading the bases in the fifth inning on two walks and a single. Steve Kirbach (Kirkland, Wash.) laced a single up the middle to score Latta and Mike Malland (Mukilteo, Wash.), and, with the bases loaded again, Somers was hit by a pitch to force in Kirbach and cut SeattleU's deficit to 8-4.
After Washington State scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, Tompkins hit a home run to right field in the seventh inning to bring the Redhawks back within four runs. The Cougars scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but SeattleU continued to battle, as pinch hitter Sean Narby (Auburn, Wash.) led off the eighth inning with a single and later scored what would be the final run of the game.
Kirbach, Tompkins, and Malland each finished with two hits to lead the SeattleU offense. Arlo Evasick (Chimacum, Wash.) earned the start, pitching 3 2/3 innings and giving up seven hits and eight runs. Brandon Kizer (Marysville, Wash.) gave up three hits and three runs in three innings of relief, while Max Whieldon (Trabuco Hills, Calif.) allowed only one hit in 1 1/3 inning of relief.
Argyropoulos went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three runs batted in for Washington State, while Kuykendall picked up three hits, scored three runs, and collected two runs batted in. In a controlled start, Chad Arnold earned the victory after allowing six hits and four runs in four innings of work.
Seattle University (0-1) concludes the two-game series at Washington State Sunday, Feb. 21, with the first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. Lefthander Conor Spink (Eagle River, Alaska) is scheduled to start for the Redhawks. SeattleU will host Saint Martin's in the home opener Tuesday, Feb. 23, beginning at 4 p.m. at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue.