Cougars Sweep Portland; Gonzaga Divides Pair

College baseball

After a pair of lackluster offensive performances in Hawaii, the Washington State Cougars broke out of their slump in a big way Tuesday, capturing a college baseball doubleheader from the Portland Pilots - 10-9 and 9-4 - in the Pacific-10 Conference North openers for both clubs.

The Cougars scored once in the seventh to break a 9-9 deadlock in the seven-inning first game, making a winner of Casey Swingley (1-0). Kyle Kawabata (4-1) went the distance in the nine-inning nightcap as the Cougars improved to 2-0 in Pac-10 play and 10-14 overall.

After building a 9-4 lead in the opener, WSU had to fight back for the win after the Pilots rallied for five runs in the fifth inning.

Tom Cody and Randy Kaleikilo each had two-run home runs for the Cougars in game two.

Washington St. 10-12, Portland 9-4

Wash. St. 323 010 1 - 10 12 2 Portland 011 250 0 - 9 11 1

Ramsay, Estes (3), Swingley (5) and Hamik, Hariston (7); Martin and Chastain. W-Swingley, 1-0. L-Martin, 0-3. HR-Portland, Dennis (1), Simpson (3).

Wash. St. 202 020 204 - 12 9 3 Portland 000 100 030 - 4 8 5

Kawabata and Hamik, Hariston (7). Reitzenstein, Hartman (8), Gradwahl (9) and Chastain. W-Kawaba, 5-1. L-Reitzenstein, 3-1. HR-Washington St., Cody (1), Kaleikilo (2).

Oregon State 5-1, Gonzaga 4-7

Darin Blood yielded nine hits and struck out 12 as Gonzaga (1-1, 13-10) beat Oregon State (1-1, 11-9-1) in the second game of a season-opening Pac-10 Northern Division doubleheader at Corvallis, Ore.

Also, GU first baseman Jerrod Wong and pitcher Troy Cleland were named the player and pitcher of the week in the Pac10 North.

Gonzaga 001 000 3 - 4 7 1 Oregon St. 020 010 2 - 5 9 2

Wong and Norton; Swinburnson (7) and Melwes. W-Swinburnson, 1-0. L-Wong, 2-3.

Gonzaga-Branch, Brunell, Wong, Norton, Hare, Jacobs, McClendon. Oregon State-Hardin 2, Dixon, Hooker 2, Bailie, Wakeland 2, Meiwes. 2B-Meiwes.

Gonzaga 120 010 003 - 7 12 0 Oregon St. 100 000 000 - 1 9 2

Blood and Norton; Beard and Schmidt. W-Blood, 5-2. Beard, 2-3.

Gonzaga-Branch 2, Brunell, Masterson, Wong, Norton 3, Hare, Olson 2, McClendon. Oregon State-Hardin, Bland 2, Hooker 2, Wakeland, Meiwes, Schmidt, Snelling. 2B-Branch 2, Hooker, Norton, Olson.

Portland St. 3-5, Washington 0-12

At Seattle, Sean Spencer pitched six strong innings and Cameron Cleeland hit a two-run homer to lead the Huskies (1-1, 7-17) past the Vikings (1-1, 7-20) and a split of their Pacific-10 Conference doubleheader.

Portland State won the first game behind a three-hitter by Greg Wooten.

Portland St. 000 003 0 - 3 4 0 Washington 000 000 0 - 0 3 2

Wooten and King; Campbell and Shewey. W-Wooten (3-3). L-LCampbell (1-4).

Portland St. 000 201 002 - 5 6 6 Washington 134 000 22x - 12 15 3

McMullen, Young (3) and King; Spencer, Merrick (7) and Mahle. W-Spencer (2-1). L-McMullen (2-4). Sv-Merrick (2). HR- Washington, Cleeland (3).

NIC 8, CCS 6

At Coeur d’ Alene, North Idaho College held off a late rally by Community Colleges of Spokane.

Spokane 010 001 310 - 6 10 2 N. Idaho 300 031 10x - 8 12 0

Kwong, Sivumaki (4), Barnhart (7) and Mathews; Schorzman, Nelson (4), Caponegro (7), Ayers (9) and Metz. W-Schorzman. L-Kwong (0-2). S-Ayers.

Spokane-Melsness 2, Walker, Sage, Mathews 2, Uberuaga, Clark, Best, Fischer. North Idaho-Collins 2, Martin 2, Danton 2, Fike, Tarasoff, Sheridan 2, Metz, Mort. 2B-Collins, Danton, Best. HR-Danton, Collins, Fike, Metz.