Utes send WSU to first defeat

Utah avoided a sweep and sent Washington State to its first loss of the season with a 5-1 non-league baseball victory Sunday at Bailey-Brayton Field in Pullman.

Rick Anton pitched seven solid innings for the Utes (6-5), who lost the first three games of the series.

The Cougars (9-1) scored their run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Kyle Buchanan doubled and Brett Jacobs drove him home with a pinch-hit single.

•Gonzaga used a 16-hit attack to beat Centenary College 9-2 and take a three-game series in Shreveport, La. Reedy Berg held the Gents to one earned run over 6 2/ 3 innings. Mark Castellito led the Bulldogs (4-4) offense with four hits, three RBIs and three runs scored.

•Kyle Krustangel hit two home runs and Nathan Johnson threw a complete game as Whitworth beat Menlo 8-4 in Atherton, Calif. The Pirates (3-10) won the nonconference series 2-1.

•Community Colleges of Spokane (2-2) swept two games in The Dalles, Ore., beating Linn-Benton 8-3 and Clackamas 8-6.

Softball

Pacific Lutheran won both games of a doubleheader with Whitworth (0-4) in Parkland, Wash., winning the opener 5-1 and the second game 5-3 to complete a four-game sweep.

Junior hockey

Chris Cucullu’s goal at 10:36 of the second overtime gave the Nelson Leafs a 3-2 win over the Spokane Braves in Game 5 of their Kootenay International Junior Hockey League playoff series in Nelson, British Columbia. Nelson leads the series 3-2.

The best-of-7 series resumes tonight at 8 at Eagles Ice-A-Rena.