Gu Gives WSU Long Face Bulldogs Use Homers To Knock Off Visiting Cougars In Doubleheader

While it was a nice day to play two on Wednesday, Washington State baseball coach Steve Farrington would have been happy to cut his losses at just one.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs registered 6-5 and 4-3 wins against the Cougars at Pecarovich Field.

The winning runs in both contests were provided by home runs.

“You’ve got to keep the ball in the yard,” Farrington said. “Those were some big blasts.”

In the first game, GU right fielder Scott Morgan hit a solo home run to left-center field in the fifth inning to tie the game 5-5.

In his next trip to the plate, in the bottom of the seventh, Morgan hit another solo homer close to the same spot for the win. They were his third and fourth home runs of the season.

“I was anticipating a fast ball on the first one and he (WSU pitcher Kyle Kawabata) threw it,” Morgan said.

The second time, Morgan thought he’d get another fastball.

“He ended up throwing a slider, but I got all of it anyway,” said Morgan, who trailed in the count with a ball and two strikes.

With the scored tied 3-3 in the second game, GU third baseman Matt Brunell provided the winning run, hitting a homer to the same area Morgan did.

Brunell finished the day 4 for 7 at the plate. He entered Tuesday’s games with a .240 batting average for the season, but was hitting just .182 against conference pitching.

“All it takes is just one game to get the confidence back,” Brunell said.

Gonzaga pitching ace Darin Blood spotted the Cougars a 5-1 lead after three innings before settling down to face just 13 batters in the next four innings. Only seven innings are played in the first game of collegiate doubleheaders.

Blood raised his season record to 7-2 and Kawabata went to 5-2.

Gonzaga (4-4 Pac-10 North, 17-13) is tied with Washington State (4-4, 12-19) and Oregon State in league play.

Bulldogs pitcher Jerrod Wong took the mound in the second game and had his rough spots, but was able to hang on to move his record to 3-4.

As the Gonzaga media release read, Wong had been the hard-luck pitcher of the staff. Before Wednesday, he had pitched five complete games, had a 2.88 earned-run average, allowed just 16 runs while marking up 28 strikeouts and allowing only eight walks.

After losing to Nevada 4-3, Oregon State 5-4 and 1-0, Wong was glad to be on the other end of a one-run game.

“It seems like every game we play is a one-runner,” he said.

Wong is different from most pitchers: Because he is a good hitter, he seldom gets relieved at the plate.

“Sometimes it’s hard to concentrate because you’ve got to attend to both,” Wong said. “There was one inning when I popped out to end it, and went right back to pitching. But my concentration wasn’t on the mound because I was still mad about popping up.”

In the bottom of the ninth with two outs, WSU third baseman Ryan Kies got a base hit off Wong, who next walked catcher Josh Hamik to put runners on first and second base.

GU coach Steve Hertz wanted to pull Wong for Troy Cleland, but Wong convinced him not to take him out.

“He told me, ‘Get out of here, I got this one,”’ Hertz said. “I’d been ready to lift him since the sixth inning. I’m glad I didn’t listen.”

Wong got Cougars left fielder and football defensive back Duane Stewart to fly out to end the game. WSU pitcher Kyle Poffenroth was charge with the loss, his record falling to 1-4.

“Their pitchers got tougher as the game went on,” Farrington said. “You’ve got to give them credit for that.”

In the two games at the plate for WSU, center fielder Rob Ryan was 3 for 7 and Mike Kinkade, who played left field, first base and catcher, went 4 for 8 and drove in two runs.

Washington State had numerous opportunities in the second game to get more runs, but the Cougars stranded six runners and two others were caught stealing.

Those missed opportunities are haunting the Cougars so far. Eleven of their 19 defeats have been by one run.

Gonzaga 6, Washington St. 5

WSU 203 000 0 - 5 6 1

Gonzaga 100 310 1 - 6 12 3

Kawabata and Hamik; Blood and Norton. W-Blood (7-2). L-Kawabata (5-2).

Washington State-Wetmore, Ryan 3, Kinkade 2. Gonzaga-Hare, Olson, Wong, Morgan 2, Norton, Masterson 2, Brunell 2, Branch, Hunt. 2B-Hare. HR-Morgan 2 (4).

Gonzaga 4, Washington State 3

WSU 000 120 000 - 3 9 3

Gonzaga 011 001 10x - 4 9 3

Poffenroth and Kinkade, Hamik (7); Wong and North. W-Wong (3-4). L-Poffenroth (1-4).

Washington State-Cameron, Kinkade 2, Naumu, Horner, Kies 2, Stewart 2. Gonzaga-Hare, Brunell 2, Norton 2, Masterson 2, Jacobs, Hunt. 2B-Kies, Kinkade, Stewart, Brunell, Norton. 3B-Norton. HR-Brunell (1).

Washington 6-4, Portland 2-1

At Portland, the Huskies (5-3, 11-19) ran away from Portland (2-6, 12-15) and didn’t slow down. Washington pitchers Tim Campbell (2-5) and Jake Kringen (2-3) got the wins.

The Huskies are tied with Portland State for first place in the conference.

Washington 004 000 2 - 6 9 1

Portland 100 010 0 - 2 5 2

Campbell, Merrick (5) and Shewey; Mickel and Chastain. W-Campbell (2-5). L-Mickel (3-3). Sv-Merrick (4). HR- Portland, Dennis (2).

Washington 4, Portland 1

Washington 120 000 010 - 4 11 1

Portland 000 001 000 - 1 3 2

Kringen, Merrick (9) and Mahle; Hartman, Hazlett (8) and Chastain. W-Kringen (2-3). L-Hartman (0-3). Sv-Merrick (5).

Portland State 6, Oregon State 3

Oregon St. 000 110 1 3 9 1

Portland St. 001 410 x 6 8 2

Wooten, Hendrickson (7) and King; Hasewicz, Derryberry (4), Sturgeon (4), Jackson (6) and Schmidt. W- Wooten, 5-3. L-Hasewicz, 2-2. Sv-Hendrickson (3). HR-Oregon St., Schmidt (4). T-n.a.

Portland State 5, Oregon State 2

Oregon St. 001 000 100 2 7 0

Portland St. 000 201 11x 5 5 2

Beard, Swinburnson (8) and Meiwes; McMullen and Burksen. W-McMullen, 4-4. L-Beard, 2-5. T-3:35. A-137.