PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State dropped a 7-4 nonconference contest to visiting Gonzaga University at Bailey-Brayton Field Tuesday evening.
Washington State (12-21) matched Gonzaga (22-12) in hits but committed three errors. The Cougars led 3-2 in the sixth but the Bulldogs pushed three runs across in the sixth and added to more in the seventh to earn the win. Redshirt-junior Trek Stemp added two more hits and scored twice while freshman catcher Ty Johnson and sophomore third baseman Shane Matheny each recorded two hits.
Stemp put the Cougars on the board in the first, leading off with a single back up the middle, moved around to third on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout before scoring on a balk.
Stemp was at it again in the third, leading off the inning with a double to left center and later scored on Jack Strunc's sacrifice fly to center. Patrick McGrath followed with a ground-rule double down the left field line, Johnson singled to right and Weston Hatten drew a walk to load the bases with one out.
Gonzaga evened things up with two runs in the fourth inning, using a pair of two-out hits to push two across. The Cougars nearly got out of the inning after an alert play made by Johnson behind the plate who grabbed a bunt and fired to Strunc at second who turned and threw to first for a double play. Gonzaga then singled through the left side before two walks loaded the bases and another single brought home one run. WSU kept things at 2-2 on the play as left fielder Cameron Frost gunned down a runner at the plate who was trying to score from second.
Washington State took advantage of another Gonzaga balk in the fifth. McGrath drew a two-out walk and moved to third on Johnson's two-out hustle double to shallow right field. The Bulldogs then balked home McGrath for a 3-2 WSU lead.
In the sixth, Gonzaga used a two-run homer to right field and a sacrifice fly to take a 5-3 lead. GU tacked on two more in the seventh off the WSU bullpen with an RBI-triple off the right field wall and a wild pitch for a 7-3 advantage.
Matheny brought home a run for the Cougars in the eighth with an RBI-single back up the middle that scored Weston Hatten who had doubled down the right field line. The Gonzaga bullpen pitched a scoreless ninth to seal up the win.
WSU left-handed starter Damon Jones struck out two, allowed one earned run on one hit in three innings. Freshman Ryley Widell took the loss after allowing three runs, two earned in the sixth.
GAME NOTES…Stemp recorded his 15th multiple hit game of the season and extended his hitting streak to seven games…Shirer recorded a hit and has reached base in nine straight games…Washington State continues its homestand hosting USC for a three-game series beginning Friday at 5 p.m.
