April 1, 2000
Box Score
PULLMAN, Wash. -- Gonzaga starting pitcher Barry Matthews led the Bulldogs to a 15-4 trouncing of the Washington State Cougar baseball team Saturday afternoon by going 4-for-5 at the plate and earning the win on the mound in front of 1,115 fans at Bailey-Brayton Field.
The win improved the Zags season record to 15-13 and evened the weekend series at one game apiece. Gonzaga leads the season series, 3-2. WSU fell to 13-17 with the loss and have now dropped four of its last five games.
Matthews was John Olerud-esque on the mound and at the plate Saturday, as he brought back memories of the former great two-way player for the Cougars. On the mound he tamed the Cougar bats by scattering just eight hits and allowed only one earned run in seven innings. The win improved his season record to 6-1. At the plate Matthews was equally impressive with four hits, including a double, two runs scored and a RBI as he raised his batting average from .288 to .310.
Gonzaga got off to a hot start by scoring four runs in the first inning. After WSU starter Zach Fisher (2-1) recorded two quick outs, the Zags went to work putting six consecutive men on base. Singles by Jason Bay, Matthews and then a walk to Adam Stokey loaded the bases. John Gebbers, who just joined the team after playing with Gonzaga's Sweet 16 basketball team, plated the Zags first two runs with a sharp single to right field. The Bulldogs batted around in the inning and scored the four runs without the benefit of an extra base hit.
The Cougars answered with a run in the bottom of the first on a Wes Falkenborg RBI-single to score Ray Hattenburg. The 4-1 deficit was the closest the Cougars would get all day.
Gonzaga poured on a combined 10 runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to pull away with the win. Bay finished the day with a 4-for-5 game, belting his team-leading eighth home run of the year, scoring four runs and driving home three more. Catcher Brian Munhall also tallied four hits in the victory.
The Cougars added two runs in their last at-bat to no consequence being down 15-2. Sophomore Evan Hecker led the inning off with a single and scored on a base hit by Shawn Stevenson. Hattenburg drove home WSU's fourth run with his second double of the game. The senior first baseman was 3-for-5 Saturday, recording his team-leading 12th multiple-hit game. Stevenson continued his hot hitting by going 2-for-5 and his raised his batting average to .272 on the year.
On the mound the Cougar pitching staff was roughed up in their worst outing of the year by allowing a season-high 15 runs and 18 hits. Fisher took the loss by allowing 11 hits and eight runs in 3.1 innings. Relievers Nick Kenyon and Donny Davis threw scoreless eighth and ninth innings for the Cougars.
The Cougars and Bulldogs will play the rubber match of the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. at August/A.R.T Stadium in Spokane. Senior Matt O'Brien (5-1, 2.86) will make the conversion from the bullpen to the starting role for the first time in his career, squaring off against Gonzaga freshman Sean Lichter (2-2, 7.06).
Gonzaga 410 325 000 - 15 18 2
WSU 100 010 002 - 4 11 2
Barry Matthews, Matt Siwek (8), and Brian Munhall.
Zach Fisher, Les McTavish (4), Sean Donlin (6), Nick Kenyon (8), Donny Davis (9), and Ryan Smith, Jon Baeder (8).
W - Matthews (6-1),L - Fisher (2-1), S - None, HR - Bay (8).
T - 3:10, A - 1,115.
Gonzaga Hits - Rodland, Church, Bay 4, Matthews 4, Stokey, Gebbers, Munhall 4, Hara, Doane.
WSU Hits - Stevenson 2, Hattenburg 3, Grove, Falkenborg, Gates, Nilsen 2, Hecker.
E - Welker (1), Hara (5), Grove 2 (2).
2B - Rodland (4), Matthews (9), Stokey (6), Munhall (6), Hattenburg 2 (8), Grove (2).
c-o-u-g-s
Copy by Jeff R. Evans
WSU Sports Information
