Area roundup: Colin Montez helps Washington State baseball cap comeback win over UCLA

Colin Montez hit a two-run single in the eighth inning to help Washington State earn a 5-2 comeback victory over 16th-ranked UCLA on Friday in Pullman.

Trailing 2-0 in the sixth, Tristan Peterson hit a two-run homer to level the score for the Cougars (23-17 overall, 10-12 Pacific-12 Conference). WSU then took the lead on a UCLA wild pitch in the eighth before Montez added the insurance runs.

Washington State starter Brandon White allowed two runs on six hits in 6⅓ innings while striking out three Bruins (12-15, 12-10).

The Cougars have six victories against ranked teams this season.

The series continues Saturday at Bailey-Brayton Field.

Lewis & Clark 8-13, Whitworth 7-10: Jack Thomson totaled four hits, including a two-run home run in the first game, as the Pioneers (9-23, 9-23 Northwest Conference) swept the Pirates (16-23, 15-17) in the regular-season finale for both teams at Merkel Field.

Gage Gibson led Whitworth with six RBIs in the opener, including a two-run homer.

Dawson Warner drove in four runs on two hits in the second contest, which was seven innings.

The field for the NWC Tournament on May 14-16 has not yet been determined.

College softball

Whitworth survived two elimination games Friday, defeating Lewis & Clark 12-3 before upsetting tournament host George Fox 9-6, to advance to the championship round of the Northwest Conference tournament in Newberg, Oregon.

The Pirates (15-22) take on Linfield (35-7) at noon Saturday. Whitworth must defeat the Wildcats twice to win the tournament and claim the NWC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.