Vandals unveil ’09 football schedule

For the third straight year, the University of Idaho football team’s schedule will feature six home games.

Two of those home contests will be non-conference dates against San Diego State (Sept. 19) and Colorado State (Oct. 3).

“It will create a very good home atmosphere,” Vandals coach Robb Akey said.

Idaho’s four other home games are Western Athletic Conference dates against Hawaii, Louisiana Tech, Fresno State and Utah State.

The Vandals open the 2009 season Sept. 5 with a conference game at New Mexico State. The following week, Sept. 12, Idaho travels to Washington before playing its home opener against San Diego State – the lone home game the same day Washington State has a home game.Idaho goes to Boise State on Nov. 14, then has a bye before concluding the regular season Nov. 28 against Utah State.

Baseball

Gonzaga University pulled off another rally, scoring five runs in the ninth inning to knock off Washington 7-4 in Seattle.

Gonzaga (18-7) used three hits and took advantage of two errors to highlight the comeback. Ryan Wiegand had a bases-loaded, run-scoring single and the Zags took the lead when two more runs scored on a fielding error, allowing Wiegand to advance to third base. Brett Wilcox had two hits and two RBIs for the Huskies (10-15).

Tennis

Eastern Washington University’s Nico Riego de Dios earned Big Sky Conference player of the week honors for the second time this month.

Last week, Riego de Dios, a junior, went 3-0 in single play, leading EWU to 5-2 and 7-0 conference wins over Weber State and Idaho State, respectively.

Golf

Whitworth’s women took a big step toward securing their first Northwest Conference title in school history when the Pirates pulled away to win the NSC Spring Classic at Cambers Bay Golf Course at University Place, Wash.

The win, coupled with Whiworth’s victory at the NWC Fall Classic last October, gives the Pirates a significant edge in the conference standings.

Whitworth finished with 361-378 (748) to top Puget Sound by nine strokes. Junior Krystal Pitkonen finished fourth with a two-day score of 91-87 (178).

The Pirates’ men finished fifth, with a two-day total of 649, 31 behind winner Pacific.

Softball

Visiting North Idaho College swept Walla Walla 8-0 and 7-2 in a pair of non-conference games.

Amanda Krier led the Cardinals in the opener, going 3 for 3 with three RBIs. In the second game, Brianna Harbour and Renae Kimbell had had two RBIs.