Feb. 4, 2005

Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. - Junior pitcher Josh Monroe (1-0) threw six shutout innings allowing three hits and one walk while recording six strikeouts as Gonzaga University opened its 2005 baseball season with a 3-1 win over Pacific Northwest foe Oregon State University Friday afternoon at the Bob Schaefer Memorial Tournament at Packard Stadium.

The Bulldogs did most of the scoring damage in the first inning as they put up two runs on two hits. In the Zags first at-bat of the season junior centerfielder Jackson Brennan rocketed a double off OSU's starting pitcher Nate Fogle and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later junior catcher Kiel Thibault brought Brennan across with a double. Thibault moved to third on another wild pitch and came home for the second run of the inning as junior Bobby Carlson hit a sacrifice fly to right.

GU added an insurance run in the sixth. Thibault got on after being hit by a pitch by OSU relief pitcher Daniel Turpen and moved to second on a single by Carlson. Senior Jeff Culpepper singled and moved Thibault to third, but an error by the Beavers second basemen allowed Thibault to score an unearned run.

The Beavers spoiled the shutout for the Bulldogs in the eighth as Tyler Graham reached on an error by Gonzaga junior second basemen Scott Campbell. Mitch Canham followed with a single to right which allowed Graham to score from second.

Thibault went 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored for the Bulldogs.

Gonzaga junior pitcher Nate Williams recorded the save for the Bulldogs as he allowed one hit in two innings of work. Fogle picked up the loss for the Beavers as he allowed two hits and two runs in 5.1 innings of work.

The Bulldogs will be back in action on Saturday afternoon as they face the ninth-ranked Arizona State University Sun Devils in a noon game at Packard Stadium.