Gonzaga University
Washington State
Baseball Drops 6-4 Decision To Washington State
4/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 29, 2003
PULLMAN, Wash. - For the second consecutive year Washington State (14-29) used a ninth inning home run to defeat Gonzaga University (20-22-1) in their contest at Bailey-Brayton Field in Pullman. This time Cougars used a three-run shot with two outs in the ninth to defeat the Bulldogs 6-4 despite a solid starting performance by freshman left-hander Patrick Donovan.
With Gonzaga leading 4-3 headed into the bottom of the ninth, relief pitcher Nate Williams (1-1) retired the first two batters of the inning. Jeremy Farrar followed with a two-out single up the middle and Jay Miller singled to right to set the table for WSU first baseman Grant Richardson. Richardson connected for the three-run shot to left field to give WSU the win and tie the season series between the two clubs.
Gonzaga had built an early 4-1 lead as the Bulldogs scored four times in the second inning against Washington State starter Garrett Alwert. David Johnson and Sam Hess started the rally with back-to-back singles before Nick Froman drove home the Bulldogs first run with a sacrifice fly. Following a fielding error on the Cougars, Kemp Quackenbush and Gordon Corder each drove home runs to stake GU to their three-run lead.
Bulldogs starter Patrick Donovan kept Washington State in check through six innings as he left with a 4-2 lead in the seventh. Washington State had a single run in the first inning on a Wes Falkenborg RBI single and added another on a Jeff LaRue single in the bottom of the sixth.
Williams entered for the Bulldogs in the seventh and struggled against the WSU order but escaped the inning with only a Richardson RBI single. Karl Mejlholm (2-3) worked seven innings of one-hit relief to pick up the win for Washington State.
Corder led Gonzaga with two hits as the Bulldogs were held to only seven total hits. Richardson led WSU with three hits and four RBI.
Gonzaga retunrs to action this weekend when they host Saint Mary's College in West Coast Conference action at Spokane Falls Community College. Friday's start time is set for 4 p.m.
