Feb. 11, 2000

Box Score

PASCO, Wash. -- Gonzaga designated hitter Barry Matthews went 2-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored to lead the Bulldogs to a 7-3 victory over the Washington State Cougars in non-conference play Friday afternoon at a frigid Posse Stadium.

GU starter Steve Bennett (1-0) was imressive in the Bulldogs opening game of 2000. The hard-throwing rightie held the Cougars to four hits and two runs in six innings of work. Bennett threw 96 pitches and struck out seven. The Gonzaga bullpen was equally impressive, tossing three innings of one-run ball. Scott Stencil, Sean Lichter, Mike Jackson and Matt Siwek combined to allow only one hit from the seventh to ninth innings.

WSU (2-3) starter Todd Meldahl (1-1) threw well in his second start of 2000, but tired late and earned the loss. Meldahl scattered five hits and allowed three runs while striking out five. Meldahl left the game with the Cougs down 3-2. Zach Fisher contributed a solid effort out of the bullpen, allowing only a single in two innings.

The Cougars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning off a two-run home run by left fielder Justin Williams. Williams, who played his junior college ball just down the street from Posse Stadium at Columbia Basin CC, hit a towering home run over the right field fence to give the Cougs the early lead.

WSU threatened to add to its lead in the fourth after consecutive singles by Ryan Smith and Mike Knight, but leadoff hitter Jordan Nilsen lined sharply into a double play to end the threat.

A pitching duel between the two Montana natives, Meldahl and Bennett, put zeros on the scoreboard from the second tell the sixth innings. After giving up the home run to Williams in the first, Bennett allowed only two WSU runners to get into scoring position.

Gonzaga did all of its damage in the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth they sent eight men to the plate to fuel a three run rally to pull ahead of the Cougs 3-2. After a Jason Bay double to right field, designated hitter Barry Matthews scored two with a sharp single down the right field line. Catcher Brian Munhall gave the Bulldogs the 3-2 lead with a run-scoring single to left field.

Gonzaga added to its lead with four runs in the next frame. A walk and consecutive hit-by-pitches from reliever Donny Davis set the table for Matthews who cleared the bases with a double down the right field line. Matthews later scored on a balk to give the Zags a 7-2 advantage. WSU scored a single tally in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Nilsen to bring the game to its final score of 7-3.

Matthews was the hitting hero of the day for the Zags with his two hits and five RBI and will comback tomorrow as the starting pitcher for the Bulldogs.

The Cougars were paced by catcher Smith's 2-for-3 day at the plate and Williams' first home run as a Cougar Center fielder Knight added a hit to push his season average to an even .600 (9x15).

The Cougs and Zags will continue the three-game series Saturday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 at Posse Stadium, home of the Tri-City Posse. Nick Kenyon (0-0) is scheduled to start for the Cougs against Matthews (0-0).

Gonzaga  000  003  400 -  7  7  0
WSU      200  000  001 -  3  5  0
Steve Bennett, Scott Stencil (7), Sean Lichter (8), Mike Jackson (8), Matt Siwek (9), and Brian Munhall.
Todd Meldahl, Donny Davis (7), Zach Fisher (8) and Ryan Smith.
W - Bennett (1-0), L - Meldahl (1-1), S - None, HR - Williams (1).
T - 2:55,  A - 259.
Gonzaga Hits - Rodland, Bay, Moraes, Munhall, Matthews 2, Stokey.
WSU Hits - Williams, Smith 2, Knight, Bailie.
E - None, 2B - Bay (1), Matthews (1), 3B - None.