Gonzaga Fends Off Pirates

Colleges

Reliever Jeff Tygart’s wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday scored Brendan Hare from third base as Gonzaga edged visiting Whitworth 6-5 in non-conference baseball game at August/A.R.T. Stadium.

Whitworth (12-9) had tied the game in the top of the seventh with five runs, including third baseman Larry Turner’s three-run homer.

The Zags, who improved to 12-18 with their seventh consecutive win, led 5-0 after five innings.

GU’s Rob Pearsall had RBI doubles in the first and fifth, and scored on Jerrod Wong’s groundout in the fifth. In the fourth, the Bulldogs’ Tory Wulf smacked an RBI double and later scored.

The Pirates, checked on two hits through six innings by GU starter Steve Bennett, fought back against relievers Russ Adams and Matt Siwek. Although he surrendered Turner’s homer, Siwek (2-3) earned the win.

Jeff Green (0-2), who allowed Hare to reach on an infield single in the seventh, suffered the loss.

Gonzaga 6, Whitworth 5

Whitworth 000 000 500 -5 6 2

Gonzaga 100 220 10x -6 9 2

McGillivray, Green (6), Tygart (7) and Schuerman, Chimienti (7). Bennett, Adams (7), Siwek (7). W-Siwek (2-3). L-Green (0-2). HITS: Whitworth-Turner, Crandall, Peterson, Andrews, Swan 2. GU-Murrell 2, Pearsall 3, Hare 3, Wulf. 2B-Pearsall 2, Wulf. HR-Turner (3).

Women’s basketball

University of Idaho women’s basketball coach Julie Holt has announced Kathryn Gussett and Lauren Newman have signed national letters of intent to attend the school.

A 6-foot-1 forward, Newman comes to Idaho from Oxnard (Calif.) Junior College. Newman was an honorable mention all-Western State Conference pick this season, averaging 12 points and 12 rebounds per game. She is a graduate of Oxnard High School.

Gussett is a 5-11 forward from Lassen (Calif.) Junior College in Susanville, where she was voted the most valuable player of the Golden Valley Conference. Gussett averaged 17 points and eight rebounds per game while leading Lassen to a 20-13 overall record and a 14-1 conference record. Gussett also played in the California Junior College All-Star game. She is a graduate of Lassen High School in Susanville.

Gussett and Newman joins Susan Woolf (Andover, Kan.), Alli Nieman (Sandpoint), Suzanne Goss (Boise) and Natalie Weeks (Pullman) as new members of the Idaho program.

NIC basketball

The athletic director at Central Connecticut State has recommended that head men’s basketball coach Mark Adams be reassigned and not serve as coach next season.

Adams is one of four finalists for the North Idaho College coaching job.

C.J. Jones’ recommendation is on the desk of CCSU president. Adams has one year left on his contract, but Jones said, “it’s a matter of looking at the program’s development, longevity.”

Jones said the president could overrule his recommendation and Adams could be back on the bench.

, DataTimes