Feb. 12, 2000

Box Score

PASCO, Wash. -- The Gonzaga bullpen combined to throw five shutout innings and allowed only one hit as the Bulldog baseball team improved to 2-0 in 2000 by holding off the Washington State Cougar baseball team 5-3 in cold and rainy conditions Saturday afternoon at Posse Stadium.

Mike Jackson, Sean Ingalls, Phil Banta, Scott Stencil and Matt Siwek combined for the stellar performance out of the bullpen to hold off several Cougar rallys late in the game. Gonzaga (2-0) starter Barry Matthews recorded the win for the Zags throwing five strong innings while giving up two earned runs. Siwek picked up the save with his scoreless appearance.

WSU (2-4) starter Nick Kenyon picked up the loss for the Cougs giving up four runs in three innings. Cougar reliever Matt O'Brien turned in his second strong outing of the year, scattering only two hits and no earned runs in five innings. Reggie Rivard added a shutout inning of relief.

Gonzaga jumped out to an early 4-2 lead after three innings of play. The Zags scored a single tally in the first frame behind a leadoff double by left fielder Jeremy Doane. Doane later came around to score on a sacrifice fly by center fielder Jason Bay. After scoring another run in the second, Gonzaga put two on the board in the third. Matthews helped his own cause with a run-scoring double to right field and second baseman Eric Rodland added a RBI single. Rodland was the lone player on both teams to record a multiple-hit game.

The Cougs forged back into the game matching the Zags scoring in each of the first two innings. After scoring an unearned run in the first, hot-hitting Mike Knight punched a ball through the left side of the infield to knot the game at two in the second. Stefan Bailie led off the third inning with a double down the left field line and later scored on a single by second baseman David Perriera.

The Zags extended their lead to 5-3 in the fifth when Rodland tallied his second run-scoring single of the afternoon. The Cougars threatened in the bottom of the inning, but left a runner in scoring position when Perreira bounced into a 5-4-3 double play.

Another WSU scoring threat was squandered in the seventh when they loaded the bases with no outs. After Ray Hattenburg struck out, Wes Falkenborg appeared to bounce into a run-scoring fielder's choice that would have brought the Cougs to within one run, 5-4. On a controversial call that resulted in the ejection of WSU Head Coach Steve Farrington, Falkenborg was called out at first base on a runner interference call by Bailie at second base. The Cougs threatened one more time in the ninth putting two men on base, but Siwek closed the door by striking out Falkenborg to give the Zags the victory.

The Cougar defense was once again steady despite posting two errors. Shortstop Shawn Stevenson made several spectacular plays and contributed seven assists. For the season Stevenson, who was selected as having the top infield arm in the Pac-10 by Baseball America, has only one miscue in 44 total chances. Left fielder Evan Hecker contributed to the Cougar highlight reel with a diving catch in left field.

The Cougars and Bulldogs will conclude the three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Posse Stadium. WSU is scheduled to start Tyson Thompson (0-1) or Lanakila Niles (0-0), while the Zags will send JC transfer David Hixson (0-0) to the mound.

Gonzaga  112  010  000 - 5  7  3
WSU      111  000  000 - 3  6  2
Barry Matthews, Mike Jackson (6), Sean Ingalls (7), Phil Banta (7), Scott Stencil (8), Matt Siwek (9), and Brian Munhall.
Nick Kenyon, Matt O'Brien (4), Reggie Rivard (9) and Ryan Smith.
W - Matthews (1-0), L - Kenyon (0-1), S - Siwek (1), HR - None.
T - 3:49,  A - 382.
Gonzaga Hits - Doane, Hara, Matthews, Rodland 2, Stokey, Bay.
WSU Hits - Knight, Bailie, Perreira, Hattenburg, Falkenborg, Stevenson.
E - Moraes (1), Matthews (1), Stokey (1), Hatteburg (4), Stevenson (1).
2B - Doane (1), Matthews (2), Bailie (1), 3B - None.