Bay’S Sixth Homer Earns Win For Gu

Jason Bay hit a two-run home run in the top of the eighth to cap Gonzaga University’s comeback 5-4 West Coast Conference baseball win at Santa Clara on Monday night.

The Bulldogs (13-12, 6-5) scored single runs in the second and third innings, but was down 5-3 going into the seventh. Winning pitcher Barry Matthews (5-1) scored on a wild pitch in the seventh, setting the stage for Bay, whose team-leading sixth homer capped a 2-for-4 day.

Brent Church, who had four doubles as GU went 2-2 on the trip, had two Monday. GU’s run in the third came on back-to-back doubles by Danny Evans and Eric Rodland.

Wheelchair basketball

For the first time in three years, the Spokane Cyclones will not represent the Northwest in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Final Four.

That honor will go to the ninth-ranked Denver Rollin’ Nuggets, who held off the No. 3 Lakeshore (Alaska) Storm 70-65 Sunday at Spokane Community College in the regional finals.

Spokane, ranked 15th nationally, which had lost to Lakeshore in Saturday’s semifinals, landed David Mollers and Paul Hill on the all-tournament team. Other all-tournament picks were Mark Shepard of Denver, the MVP; Akil Mauta, Lakeshore; and Sal Diaz, Pasadena, Calif.

The Cyclones will take on a new look next season. Three veterans of the program - Lew Tomlinson, a 20-year guy and Spokane’s all-time leading scorer with a career average of about 20 points a game; Frank Traver; and Orin Pierce, both 15-year players - announced their retirement.

Track and field

Two 1999 Big Sky Conference champions from Eastern Washington, juniors Ryan Cole and Johnnie Williams, had impressive early-season performances Sunday at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif.

Cole placed second in the javelin with a throw of 222 feet, 1 inch to finish behind Stanford’s Chad Wassink (226-7). Cole’s mark exceeded the NCAA provisional qualifying standard of 220-9. Williams placed third in his heat and 18th overall in the 100 in 10.78. He ran a 22.24 in the 200 and placed 29th overall.

Motor sports

Defending Street Stock champion Rob Vest won a multi-class main at Stateline Speedway’s Racer’s Jamboree Sunday afternoon. He also won a heat race. Joel Schrader won the A trophy dash and main in the Bump-to-Pass class. Sheri Howard swept a limited field of Columbia River Sprint Cars, setting fast time (12.86) and winning the trophy dash, heat and main. Pat Norris won the Fever 4 Hobby main and A trophy dash.