College baseball: Kodie Kolden leads Washington State to 12-10 win over Gonzaga

PULLMAN – Kodie Kolden homered and totaled five runs batted in and three runs, and Washington State held off Gonzaga 12-10 Tuesday in a nonconference baseball game at Bailey-Brayton Field.

Andres Alvares put the Cougars (7-20) up early with a two-run home run in the first inning. Kolden followed with a three-run drive in the second.

WSU’s lead swelled to 9-1 as Alvarez added an RBI single and Rob Teel recorded an two-run double in the fourth, followed by Teel’s RBI groundout in the sixth.

The Bulldogs (12-13) came storming back with a six-run seventh featuring RBI singles from Ernie Yake and Guthrie Morrison and an error leading to two unearned runs.

The Cougars responded in the bottom half with a two-run single from Kolden and a sacrifice fly by Danny Sinatro to push the lead to 12-7.

Gonzaga made another charge, with Morrison and Austin Pinorini driving in runs in the eighth. Nick Nyquist homered in the ninth before Michael Newstrom closed the door for his first save of the season.

Alvarez and Teel added three RBIs and two runs apiece for WSU, which snapped a 12-game losing streak. The Cougars hadn’t won since a 10-1 triumph over Cal State Northridge on March 10.

Troy Johnston scored three runs for the Zags, and Morrison and Pinorini led GU with two RBIs apiece. GU had won four of five entering the game and has scored 36 runs in its last three games.

Both teams return to league play Friday. Washington State travels to Cal for a three-game set and Gonzaga hosts a series against Pacific at the Patterson Baseball Complex.