Gonzaga Makes Quik Work Of Wyoming

College baseball

Senior catcher Andy Norton went 4 for 4 and stole home Saturday as Gonzaga University defeated Wyoming 9-4 at the Pepsi-Johnny Quik Classic in Fresno, Calif.

Norton drove in three runs and scored three for the Bulldogs, 3-3 at the tournament and 9-8 overall. The Cowboys are 2-4, 8-13.

Norton’s efforts backed the eighthit, complete-game pitching of Darin Blood (4-1). Blood struck out eight and walked two.

Blood allowed a three-run sixth inning that trimmed the Zags’ lead to 5-4, but Norton had an RBI single and stole home during GU’s threerun seventh.

GU center fielder Carter Masterson homered in the first to score Ryan Branch, who had singled.

John Heinrichs doubled in the bottom of the 11th and scored on Chad Motoian’s single as UCLA (13-11) edged visiting Washington State 7-6 in non-conference play.

Center fielder Rob Ryan of WSU (5-11) tried to throw Heinrichs out at the plate, but his throw sailed over the head of catcher Josh Hamik.

Kyle Poffenroth, in relief of starter Todd Belitz, lost despite allowing just four hits in 6 innings.

Billy Wark (2-0) pitched eight innings and Don O’Neal had a tworun double in the eighth as Whitworth defeated Pacific Lutheran 4-2 at the University of Redlands (Calif.) tournament.

Jeff Tygart of Whitworth (5-2) pitched the ninth for his second save. The Pirates’ Chris Fukai was 3 for 3 during the win.

The host Bulldogs later defeated Whitworth 12-1.

Community Colleges of Spokane’s game against visiting Centralia was rained out.