Bulldogs cruise to 9-4 win over Cougars

Justin Jacobs and Jeffrey Bohling drove in first-inning runs and the Gonzaga Bulldogs (21-14) never looked back en route to a 9-4 victory over the Washington State Cougars (15-18) in nonconference baseball action on Monday at Gonzaga’s Patterson Baseball Complex.

Sam Brown started the Bulldogs off and running in the first inning with a leadoff single against Cougars starter Ian Mullins. Brown scooted to third on a double by Tyler Frost and scored on a Jacobs single. Bohling plated Frost with a fielder’s choice.

Mullins (1-1) lasted just two innings and the Zags broke the game open in the third inning against WSU reliever Joe Rosenstein.

Frost, Jacobs and Bohling all drew walks to load the bases and Rosenstein’s fourth straight free pass – this one to Jake Vieth – made it 3-0. That was it for Rosenstein. Jace VanDeBrake greeted new Coug reliever Caleb McAlister with a two-run single. The Zags fourth run of the inning came on a Cougars’ error and it was 6-0.

The Cougs cut it to 6-1 in the top of the fourth on an RBI double by James Rudkin.

But the Bulldogs weren’t done pushing across single runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.

Daniel Bies (2-2) tossed six innings to pick up the win for Gonzaga. He allowed just one run on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Calvin Lebrun pitched the final three innings for his third save of the season.

WSU pushed across three runs in the top of the ninth to cap the scoring.