PULLMAN, Wash. – Utah Valley University dropped the opener a four-game series at Washington State, 8-4, on Friday at Bailey-Brayton Field.
 
Zac Willis was 4-for-5 with two runs for the Wolverines (3-9) while Jake Berry went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Dillon Plew was 3-for-5 with a pair of runs with J.J. Hancock and James Rudkin each driving in three runs for the Cougars (7-4).
 
The Wolverines scored twice in the first, getting RBI base hits from Jackson Overlund and Nick Simmons. Overlund's hit scored Trevor Peterson from second and, after Jake Berry singled to load the bases, Simmons lined the first pitch he saw to center, plating Willis.
 
The Cougars answered, getting a lead off base hit from Plew before Shane Matheny homered to tie the game. Rudkin added a two-run double in the inning to give Washington State a 4-2 lead after one.
 
Berry drove in Peterson in the third to make it a 4-3 game before the Cougars added three in the fifth on a bases-loaded triple by Hancock. Rudkin made it 8-3 with a RBI single in the seventh.
 
Ben Atkinson got his first career hit and RBI in the eighth, delivering a pinch-hit double to left center to score Willis, who led off the inning with a single. Utah Valley loaded the bases in the ninth to get the tying run to the plate but did not score.
 
Jackson Cofer (1-2) took the loss for Utah Valley while Damon Jones (1-0) started a lasted 5.0 innings to pick up the win.
 
The series continues on Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. PT/11 a.m. MT.