Gonzaga University
#28 Washington State
Bulldogs Drop Non-Conference Game To #28 WSU
4/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 14, 2010
PULLMAN, Wash. - Gonzaga University dropped a 5-4 non-conference decision to No. 28 Washington State University Wednesday evening. The Bulldogs, down 4-0 to start the sixth inning, pushed a run across in the sixth and added three more in the seventh to tie the game at 4-4 but a two-out RBI-double by the Cougars in the bottom of the frame proved to be the game-winner.
Gonzaga (12-20-1) was led by Royce Bolinger who produced a pinch-hit two-run single. Washington State improved to 18-11.
WSU opened the game with two runs in the first and picked up one more in the second inning to build a 3-0 lead off of Gonzaga starting pitcher Liam Baron. The Cougars later added another run in the fourth inning to open their lead up to 4-0.
The Bulldogs began their comeback in sixth as Andy Hunter opened the inning with a single through the left side and later stole second. One batter later Steven Halcomb drove a 1-0 pitch into the left centerfield gap for an RBI-double to score Hunter and make it a 4-1 game. In the seventh, Cameron Edman was hit-by-the-pitch to start the inning and Clayton Eslick and Mark Castellitto each followed with walks to load the bases. The WSU bullpen nearly escaped the jam by getting a pair of strikeouts but a wild pitch during Halcomb's at-bat allowed Edman to score. Halcomb then walked to load the bases for Bolinger who singled a 1-0 pitch back up the middle to score Eslick and Castellitto, tying the game at 4-4.
The Cougars came right back in bottom of the inning, bringing across the eventual game-winning run in the seventh on a two-out hit off of Gonzaga reliever Billy Moon to take a 5-4 lead. The WSU bullpen kept the Zags off the scoreboard in the final two frames to preserve the win.
Gonzaga welcomes Pepperdine University to the Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field for a three-game West Coast Conference series beginning 6:30 p.m. Friday. Friday's game will be broadcasted on SWX-TV.
