PULLMAN, Wash. – Jayson Sullivan went 3-4 with two RBI's as the Sacred Heart baseball team wrapped up its season opening road trip with an 8-4 defeat at Washington State on Sunday afternoon. Scoring first for the sixth straight game, SHU ends the trip with a 0-8 record. PJ Jones went 3-4 with three runs and C. Frost plated three of the Cougar runs to help WSU complete the sweep, which improves its record to 11-5.

Washington State's eventual game-winning run came in the fourth. A one out solo homerun extended the 3-2 WSU advantage to two, before a walk, single, and hit by pitch loaded the bases. Jason Foley came in to relieve Mike Lembo and looked to get out of the inning by inducing a potential double play ball, but after getting the first out at second, an error on the throw to first allowed not only one run to score, but an additional unearned one as well. With runners on second and third, Foley struck out the next hitter to end the inning with the score 6-2.

Twice SHU loaded the bases only to come away without a run. It first happened in the top half of the second thanks to a one out single by Cody Doyle and back-to-back base on balls from Keaton Flint and Dan Schock. Washington State starter, L. Bruner, who pitched four innings, retired the next two batters via strikeout to put an end to the threat. Again the Pioneers threatened in the fifth with Alex Perry leading the frame off with a single. After a strikeout, Zack Short reached on an error and Sullivan singled for one his three hits on the day. The fifth ended just as the second did though, with M. Bower coming in to to fan consecutive SHU batters after reliving S. Triece, who had replaced Bruner at the start of the inning,

After the Cougars added two runs in the sixth, the Pioneers pulled back two of their own in the top of the seventh.  Perry produced another leadoff singled to get it all started, while Short followed a strikeout by working one of his three walks of the game. The next two hitters brought both them of home as Sullivan singled home his team leading fifth run of the year. Victor Sorrento followed that with a sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 8-4.

In addition to going 2-5 at the plate, Perry worked an inning of scoreless relief in the eighth. Foley and Medina each pitched 1.2 innings without allowing a run, combining to give up only one hit. Starter John Sostarich took the loss after allowing three runs in three innings of work. 

Ted Shaw generated the first run of the game in the opening inning as he got on with a one out single. After a fly out, he stole second to set up a RBI situation for Sullivan, who delivered with a single to left field. Sullivan then stole second, but was stranded after a strikeout.

Just as they did all series, WSU took very little time to respond, as the first four runners in the bottom half all reached. The first two batters both singled before the bases were loaded thanks to a walk. C. Frost roped the first pitch he saw to right center for a two run double, giving the Cougars the 2-1 lead with nobody out. Following a strikeout, B. Roberts plated the third run of the inning with a RBI groundout to second.

Behind a leadoff walk by Short, Sacred Heart cut into the lead in the top of the third. Following the base on balls, Short stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Sullivan then walked himself before a 6-4-3 double play plated Short to bring the score to 3-2.

Sacred Heart returns to Connecticut for its home opener on Wednesday. The Pioneers will host UConn at Harbor Yard, with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 pm.