It’s hard to defend free bases.

Arizona pitchers struck out 16 batters and only allowed five hits on Tuesday night, but they also issued 10 walks and hit two batters in a 7-4 loss to West Virginia at Hi Corbett Field.

“We gave them pretty much all seven runs,” UA coach Chip Hale said. “They did a good job of base running and putting some pressure on us, but the walks, the hit batsmen, the error, those things kill you.”

Arizona (9-19) fell to 0-9 this season when walking six or more batters. Last year, in reaching the College World Series, the Wildcats only walked six or more six times, and still won four of those games.

“It wasn’t like they they batted you around,” Hale said he told the five pitchers who threw Tuesday. “We just gave them those free ones, and then you advance them with some passed balls and some wild pitches, and that’s what winning teams take advantage of.”

Arizona led 2-0 on a 2-run home run by Carson McEntire, his team-leading 6^th of the season, but West Virginia scored seven times over the next three innings with only the last two coming via a hit. The others scored on a wild pitch, fielding error, passed ball, hit batter and groundout.

Yet the UA also had some very good pitching. Jack Lafflam threw two scoreless innings to start, with one hit allowed and two strikeouts, but Hale said the true freshman “didn’t feel great” so he was pulled as a precautionary measure. Matthew Martinez struck out six over 2.1 scoreless innings and another true freshman, Benton Hickman, struck out four over the final two innings including two after loading the bases with one out in the 8^th.

The Wildcats finished with seven hits, two by McEntire, who drove in three and is tied for the team lead with 19 RBI.

Arizona remains home to host ASU for three games beginning Thursday night. The finale on Saturday night is on ESPN2 but also happens to coincide with the Final Four.

“I would hope we can put some stuff on (the scoreboard) between innings,” Hale said.