WSU defeats Cal in Pac-12 baseball series opener

Tommy Richards had three hits and drove in three runs to lead Washington State’s surging offense and the Cougars beat California 10-4 in the opener of a three-game Pac-12 Conference baseball series Friday night in Pullman.

The Cougars scored five runs in the third inning and led 9-3 after the fourth.

Tanner Chleborad earned the win after allowing two earned runs in five innings. WSU jumped all over Golden Bears pitcher Michael Theofanopoul, who gave up eight hits and nine runs in 3 1/3 innings.

The win gives WSU a 23-18 overall record, including 9-9 in conference games. The Golden Bears fell to 23-19 and 7-12 in the Pac-12.

Game two is set for 5:30 p.m. today.

• Gonzaga (27-17, 7-9) gave up three runs in each of the first three innings and fell 6-4 to Saint Mary’s (22-21, 6-10) in West Coast Conference action in Moraga, Calif.

Two Bulldogs errors led to three unearned runs. Tyler Olson pitched all nine innings for GU, giving up eight walks and striking out six. The complete game was Olson’s third of the season.

The second game of the three-game series is scheduled for 1 p.m. today.

• Aaron West fired a complete-game, four-hit shutout to lead Washington (24-18, 9-10) to a 7-0 win over Southern California (22-19, 7-11) in the opener of a three-game Pac-12 Conference series in Los Angeles.

Trevor Mitsui and Jayce Ray each had two hits and an RBI for the Huskies, who took control with three runs in the second inning.

The series continues at 2 p.m. today.

Honors

After guiding Whitworth to its first Northwest Conference baseball title in 21 years, Pirates coach Dan Ramsey was named the NWC Coach of the Year.

Six Whitworth players were voted to the NWC first and second teams and six others earned honorable mention.

First-team selections were Tyler Pfeffer (Shadle Park), outfield; Nick Motsinger (University), shortstop; and Dan Scheibe, pitcher. J.R. Jarrell, first base; Gerhard Muelheims (St. George’s), second base; and Paul Miller (Mead) designated hitter, were voted to the second team.

Honorable mention went to Josh Davis, catcher; Landon Scott, third base; Kevin Valerio, outfield; and C.J. Perry (Gonzaga Prep), Carson Blumenthal (Mt. Spokane), and Jason Renner, all pitchers.

Pacific Lutheran first baseman Brock Gates was Player of the Year and George Fox’s Brian Ranta the Pitcher of the Year.

Softball

Community Colleges of Spokane was swept by Wenatchee Valley in an NWAACC doubleheader at Spokane Falls Community College, 7-5 and 13-1.

The loss dropped CCS to 20-17 overall and 13-11 in conference games. Wenatchee Valley improved to 34-5 and 20-2.

• Teagan Gerhart pitched a complete-game shutout to lead No. 19 Stanford (34-16, 7-12) to a 4-0 win over No. 14 Washington (36-15, 7-14) in a Pac-12 Conference game in Stanford, Calif.

The second game of the seriesis today.