April 6, 2001

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - Nate Gold hit his third consecutive game winning home run Friday afternoon as Gonzaga (14-15, 6-7) came from behind to defeat San Diego (22-13, 8-5 WCC) 5-3 at August/A.R.T. Stadium in Spokane. The teams will resume the West Coast Conference series with a 1 p.m. game on Saturday afternoon.

San Diego jumped on top first as the Toreros scored two runs in the fourth inning. Greg Sain hit a home run to left that scored Josh Harris. Harris had opened the inning with a single to left. Gonzaga countered in the bottom half of the fourth as Eric Rodland walked and Kevin Cave singled. After a double-play moved Rodland to third, Toreros starter Ricky Barrett (6-2) was charged with a balk that allowed Rodland to score.

The Toreros increased their lead to 3-1 in the top of the fifth as Tony Perez singled to left to open the inning and moved to third base on a double by Jason Marian. Luis Diaz-Miron's sacrifice fly to right scored Perez who slid in just prior to the tag on a throw by Zags right fielder Jared Hertz. That would be all the offense USD would muster against Gonzaga starter Barry Matthews (4-1) who allowed just two hits the remainder of the game. It was Matthews fourth complete game of the season.

Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth Gonzaga started a rally with Cave's single to right. After consecutive fielder's choice plays, Brian Munhall was hit by a Barrett pitch to put runners at first and second. Gold then worked the count full before sending a ball over the left field fence to give Gonzaga the lead. Gold would add another RBI on a double in the eighth inning that scored Munhall from first.

Gold and Cave were joined by Hertz and Danny Evans on the two hit list while Joey Prast and Marian each accounted for two of USD's eight hits.