Relievers hold strong as WSU edges UCLA
Four Washington State relievers combined for 72/3 innings of scoreless relief work as Washington State scored a 4-3 victory over UCLA in Pac-10 baseball action at Los Angeles.
Jared Prince plated Travis Coulter with the winning run in the top of the 10th inning as the Cougars improved to 22-11 overall, 4-4 in league play. UCLA fell to 17-14, 2-3.
Coulter led off the tenth with a single up the middle off Bruins reliever Josh Roenicke (0-3). Jay Miller sacrificed Coulter to second and the freshman from Kennewick went to third on Roenicke’s throwing error. Prince then grounded out to first as Coulter came in to score.
Nick Cebula (1-0) earned the win, throwing 11/3 innings of relief.
“Santa Clara scored five times in the top of the ninth as Gonzaga suffered its first home and conference losses of the season, falling to the Broncos 7-6 in West Coast Conference play at Avista Stadium.
Cory Powell took the loss for GU (22-11, 4-1), giving up all five runs in the ninth.
Gonzaga had a chance to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the ninth, but stranded runners at second and third.
Kevin Drever went 3 for 6 with an RBI for Santa Clara (19-14, 2-3).
Track and field
Five Washington State competitors performed at or above NCAA Regional qualifying marks at the 79th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin.
Sprinter James McSwain reached a qualifying time in the 100-meter dash by finishing fifth with a wind-aided 10.307 seconds, just .002 behind Oklahoma’s Marcus Pugh in fourth.
Other athletes reaching qualifying times were: John Cassleman (Pullman) sixth in the 400 hurdles, finishing in 51.41; Jenna Dean fifth in the javelin, throwing 158 feet, 4 inches; Jon Jeffreys (West Valley) 13th in the javelin with a throw of 199-4; Tamara Diles sixth in the women’s pole vault, clearing 12-111/2; freshman Tiffany Maskulinski tied for 13th in the women’s pole vault, clearing 12-51/2.
Softball
Melodee Mildenberger threw a complete-game three-hitter, and Angie Boardman went 3 for 3 with two runs scored and three RBIs as North Idaho scored five times in the sixth inning in an 8-0 rout of Southern Nevada in Scenic West Athletic Conference action at Coeur d’Alene.
Mildenberger (14-5) went six innings, walking none and striking out three for the Cardinals (31-10, 19-7).
Auto racing
The 2006 season-opening race at Stateline Speedway in Post Falls was canceled due to constant rain and unfavorable racing conditions.