April 1, 2003

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - Washington State University (9-19) scored six early runs on Tuesday afternoon and then held on for a 8-6 non-conference win over the host Gonzaga Bulldogs (12-14-1) at August/A.R.T. Stadium in Spokane. The Cougars were helped by a defense that turned three double plays including one in the ninth that ended a late Gonzaga threat.

Under scattered showers that surrounded the game, Washington State opened with three consecutive hits against Bulldogs starter Ed Clelland (2-2) the last hit a three-run home run by Cougar first baseman Grant Richardson. Clelland would settle down after allowing one more hit in the inning and leave after the third on a scheduled pitch count.

Washington State added to its lead in the fourth inning as the Cougars took advantage of the first of three Bulldog errors in the game. After watching the first two Cougar batters of the fourth go down on strikes against relief pitcher Josh Monroe, Dustin Realini reached on a fielding error by catcher Sam Hess to continue the frame. Two batters later Jeremy Farrar connected for his first home run of the season, a three-run shot to left that lifted Washington State to a 6-0 advantage.

Danny Evans drove home two of Gonzaga's six runs on Tuesday.

Gonzaga chipped into the lead in the bottom of the fourth, Gordon Corder hitting a solo home run to start the Bulldogs rally. Jeff Culpepper followed with a double down the left field line and came around to score on a Hess single to left that was misplayed by Farrar allowing David Johnson to score on Culpepper's heels. Danny Evans then hammered a ball down the left field line for a double that chased Cougars starting pitcher James Freeman from the game.

Culpepper helped Gonzaga close the gap to 6-5 with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth but the Cougars defense helped relief pitcher Brett Beetham (1-1) get out of the jam with a double play. WSU added an insurance run in the sixth as Justin Hart reached on a catcher's interference call and scored when the Bulldogs committed an error on a run down to get Dustin Realini out from first.

Hart again scored for the Cougars in the eighth as he walked and eventually scored on a sacrifice bunt by Realini. Gonzaga had a final chance in the bottom of the ninth as Evans led off with a solo home run. The Bulldogs placed runners on first and second with no outs but could not move the runners up before Nick Kenyon got a double play ball from Corder to end the game. Kenyon picked up his second save of the season with one inning of relief.

Farrar led Washington State with four hits and three RBI while Richardson added two hits and three RBI. Gonzaga was led by Eric Rodland, Culpepper and Evans each with two hits as the two teams each finished with 10 hits.

Gonzaga travels to Portland this weekend for West Coast Conference cross-divisional play before hosting Washington State again next Tuesday at August/A.R.T. Stadium. The game with Cougars kicks off a 5-game homestand for Gonzaga.