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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fast Break

The Spokesman-Review

College baseball

Now Hertz really a Gonzaga fixture

Prior to Gonzaga University’s dedication ceremonies Friday evening for its new baseball facility – Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field – the school honored its director of athletic relations, Steve Hertz (above, in file photo), by unveiling a bronze bust of the former Bulldogs player and coach.

The sculpture, created by artist Dennis Harrington from Bozeman, is on display in the Northern Quest Plaza of the $8.5 million stadium just behind the third-base grandstands.

Hertz, who spent 24 seasons – during two different stints – as the Zags’ head coach, was on hand for the unveiling, along with his wife, Vicki, and six children.

“This is usually the kind of honor you get after your dead,” Hertz said, “which is probably what some umpires wish was the case.”

Hertz, who graduated from GU in 1972 after three seasons as a Bulldogs pitcher, turned the reins to the Zags program over to his former assistant Mark Machtolf four years ago and remains the winningest coach in school history with a record of 637-627-6.

He also spearheaded the fundraising drive to build GU’s new stadium.

“Steve Hertz has touched the lives of as many Bulldogs – as a teacher, a coach, a friend and, most recently, as an administrator – as anyone who has ever worn a Bulldog uniform or represented Bulldog athletics,” GU athletic director Mike Roth said. “He redefined what it made to be a Zag, and instilled it in all of us.”

(See related story/C2)

Basketball

One and done: Oden to NBA

Greg Oden is through with school. The 7-foot freshman said he will leave Ohio State to enter the NBA draft, where he figures to be one of the top two picks along with Texas freshman Kevin Durant.

Freshman teammates Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook also said they will make themselves available for the draft. Unlike Oden, they have opted not to hire an agent for now – meaning they will retain the option of returning to school in the fall.

All three players were key figures this past season for the Buckeyes, who went 35-4 and won the Big Ten’s regular-season and tournament titles before advancing to their first national title game since 1962, where they lost to Florida.

Prep softball

There’s epidemic of great pitching

Perfect and near-perfect pitching performances are almost becoming a daily staple this season. Mead’s Taneesha Pounder struck out six in a five-inning, perfect-game win over Lewis and Clark while Shadle Park’s Sam Skillingstad pitched her second no-hitter in two days with 15 strikeouts in a 19-0 five-inning win over East Valley.