PULLMAN, Wash. — Seattle U baseball dropped its series opener with Washington State on Friday by the score of 6-1.
Julian Kodama drove in the lone Seattle U run during the third with a single to right-center. Connor O'Brien scored from second on the play after reaching on a two-out single and moving to scoring position on a passed ball.
The Cougars tallied one in first to get on the board first, before striking with a solo home run in the third gave them a 2-1 lead. Washington State then added one more in the fifth and sixth, prior to plating two in the eighth.
With four at-bats, Kodama led the way as he accounted for three of the Redhawks seven hits. Kyle Sherick also had a multi-hit day as he was 2-for-3 at dish, while Justin Mazzone and O'Brien were each 1-for-4.
Seattle U hitters looked good early, recording two hits in the first and three more in the third. However, the bats then went cold as the Redhawks were left hitless for a 4 1/3-inning stretch. Sherick ended the drought with lead-off single in the eighth.
Starter Alex Jemal was charged with the loss after surrendering three runs on six hits in five innings. The righty however pieced together a good performance overall as he notched a career-best seven strikeouts including three in the third. He then made way for Peter Chronowski who tossed three innings of relief and allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits.
The Redhawks and Cougars resume the series with game two tomorrow, first pitch from Bailey-Brayton Field in Pullman is slated for 2:05 pm.