Area roundup: Washington State tops Utah valley for fourth straight win
Shane Matheny smacked a two-run homer in a four-run first inning and Washington State won its fourth straight, topping visiting Utah Valley 8-4 on Friday in the first of a four-game nonconference weekend series at Bailey-Brayton Field.
Utah Valley scored twice in the top of the first on RBI singles by Jackson Overlund and Nick Simmons, but the Cougars (7-4) answered in the home half on Matheny’s blast and a two-run double by James Rudkin.
The Wolverines made it 3-2 in the third, but WSU put up three in the fifth on JJ Hancock’s bases-loaded triple.
Dillon Plew went 3 for 5 with two runs out of the leadoff spot.
Starter Damon Jones (W, 1-0) gave up three runs on six hits and three walks over five innings, striking out four.
The Cougars and Wolverines play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 10 a.m.
Gonzaga 1, Cal State Fullerton 0: Eli Morgan struck out 15 in a complete-game two-hitter and the visiting Bulldogs (6-6) beat the Titans (7-5) in a nonconference game at Goodwin Field in Fullerton.
Morgan (W, 2-1) allowed just one walk and did not allow a runner to reach second base.
The Zags picked up their lone run in the fourth. Tyler Frost led off with a single, stole second with one out, and scored on Daniel Frederickson’s double to right.
CSF’s Conner Seabold (L, 1-3) gave up four hits and two walks, striking out 11 in a complete game.
Track and field
In the preliminary races of the 2017 Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships, Whitworth’s Kayla Leland finished second overall in the mile run and fifth overall in the 800-meter run to advance to Saturday’s finals for both events. Leland finished the mile 5:00.74 to win the first heat.
In the 800-meter run, Leland finished third in her heat and fifth overall to advance to the finals with a time of 2:13.91.
This is Leland’s first trip to the NCAA Div. III Indoor Championships in the mile, but her second in the 800-meter. Last year, Leland finished 17th in 2:21.52.
Fellow Pirate Kayla Brase qualified to compete in the triple jump and is scheduled to take place in preliminaries on Saturday.
Colorado’s John Dressell (Mt. Spokane) finished fourth in the men’s 5,000 meter run in the Division I Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas.