SPOKANE, Wash. – Washington State brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning but the rally was held off by Gonzaga who posted an 8-5 nonconference victory Tuesday evening.
 
The Cougars collected 10 hits including two-hit games from Andres Alvarez, Dillon Plew and Brody Barnum as Alvarez also homered. Gonzaga broke 5-5 fifth-inning tie with a pair of runs in the sixth and evened the season series with WSU.
 
In the second, Gonzaga used a pair of hits and a walk to load the bases before a double down the left field line plated two runs and another run came across on a ground out for a 3-0 advantage.
 
In the third, the Cougars put runners on first and second for Alvarez who pulled a single into left field to score Kodie Kolden from second and Plew followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Danny Sinatro cut the lead to 3-2.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Gonzaga answered with a two-run home run to right field for a 5-2 advantage.
 
In the fifth, Alvarez got the inning going with long solo homer to left field and Plew followed by slapping an opposite field double down just inside the third base bag. Following a wild pitch, Collin Montez pulled a 3-2 pitch through the right side of the infield for a two-out RBI single. Montez then stole second and came home on a Brody Barnum RBI-double into right centerfield, tying the game at 5-5.
 
In the sixth, Gonzaga regained the lead with a pair of runs on an RBI-single and a wild pitch for a 7-5 advantage. The Bulldogs added a run in the seventh on an error, a sac bunt, wild pitch and a sac fly for a three-run lead.
 
In the ninth, Sinatro was hit by a pitch and Alvarez followed with a walk to bring Plew to the plate as the tying run but Plew flied out to deep centerfield to end the game.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Collin Montez singled in the 5^th to extend his on-base streak to 6 games
Montez stole 2^nd in the 5^th and is now 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts
 
NEXT UP
The Cougars continue their road stretch with a three-game series at No. 2 Oregon State.