Area roundup: Sloppy play pushes Zags past BYU

Gonzaga capitalized on some sloppy play in the eighth inning to rally for five runs in the frame and defeat visiting BYU 7-6 in a West Coast Conference-baseball game on Friday at Patterson Complex.

The Bulldogs (11-11, 2-3 WCC) took two walks to the start the eighth before Taylor Jones ripped a bases-clearing double to pull GU to within two at 6-4. After another walk, a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt by BYU pitcher James Lengal moved the runners to second and third before a wild pitch plated Jones. After yet another walk put runners on the corners, Lengal booted a safety squeeze to load the bases.

Lengal righted himself and struck out the next batter for the second out of the inning. After issuing the Cougars fifth walk of the inning, this time to bring home the tying run, Lengal was given the hook. The reliever didn’t fare much better, walking the first batter he faced to put Gonzaga up 7-6.

In all, Gonzaga sent 11 batters to the dish in the eighth, drawing six walks and benefiting from two errors.

David Bigelow sat down BYU (10-12, 3-2) in order in the ninth to pick up his fourth save of the season. Jones finished 3 for 4 at the plate.

Oregon State 5, Washington State 2: K.J. Harrison’s two-run home run opened the scoring and starter Andrew Moore worked into the ninth as the No. 25 Beavers defeated the Cougars in a Pac-12 series-opener in Corvallis, Oregon.

Ben Roberts and Derek Chapman each had an RBI for WSU (12-9, 1-3 Pac-12). Moore recorded 10 strike outs for the Beavers (16-5, 2-2).

California 3, Washington 2: Golden Bears’ Lucas Erceg hit a solo home run in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 deadlock, and two Bears’ pitchers made the lead stand up in a Pac-12 series-opener at Husky Ballpark in Seattle.

Erceg had two hits on the day for Cal (16-5, 3-1 Pac-12). Reliever Spencer Jones took the loss for UW (13-8, 1-3).

Softball

CC Spokane 7, Columbia Basin 3: Lindsie Scholwinski threw a four hitter for the Sasquatch in the opener as CCS took the first of two scheduled NWAC games in Pasco.

With CCS down to their final strike in the second game, Jesse Schafer connected for a two-run home run to pull CCS level with the Hawks at 3-3 and push the game into extra innings. The game was called for darkness and be completed when CBC travels to Spokane on April 10.

Berkley Fisher hit two home runs in the doubleheader for CCS.