High-scoring fifth inning helps Gonzaga pull away from Washington State in shutout win
A surprising power outburst in the first inning was all No. 15 Gonzaga needed to beat struggling Washington State 12-0 on Tuesday in nonconference play at the Patterson Baseball Complex and Steve Hertz Field.
Back-to-back home runs by senior Tyler Rando – a two-run screaming shot – and freshman Cade McGee’s solo blast put the Zags (19-7) up 3-0.
The two homers were the eighth and ninth for the Bulldogs this season and the first two given up by WSU starter Jack Lee this season.
Lee went 1⅓ innings, giving up four runs on five hits, striking out one.
The Cougars (10-18) have lost 11 of their past 12 games and were unable to put a dent in the Bulldogs’ pitching staff.
Brad Mullan got the spot start for GU, going 4⅓ innings, allowing three hits, two walks and striking out two . Mullan found himself in little jams in the first and third innings, getting out of both unscathed.
Mullan began the fifth, allowing two singles and a sacrifice bunt before getting pulled in favor of Jacob Rutherford.
Rutherford slammed the door shut, getting a strikeout and a fly out to center to end the threat.
GU bats went cold for a few innings, with only a McGee single in the fifth to show for it.
But in the sixth, the Bulldogs worked their counts, drawing two walks, and used some timely hitting to blow the game wide open.
After Shea Kramer and Jack Machtolf walked, Ezra Samperi reached on an error to load the bases with no outs.
Savier Pinales pinch hit for Mason Marenco and was hit by a pitch .
Enzo Apodaco then worked a full count on an eight-pitch at-bat before rifling a single past a diving Jack Smith at first.
A Connor Caballes single and a Grayson Sterling sacrifice fly extended the Bulldogs’ lead to 9-0 after six innings.
The eighth presented another opportunity for the Zags to extend their lead as the first two batters, Logan Johnstone and Coballes, walked. After a Dylan Johnson strikeout, McGee picked up his second RBI with a sacrifice fly to center.
WSU pitcher Will Sierra plunked two Bulldogs before the Cougars swapped him out for Owen Leonard.
The first batter Leonard faced, Machtolf, shot a two-out single past Smith at first for a two-run single.
Nate Weeldreyer limped his way through the ninth, working around a single and a walk before a foul out to Samperi ended the contest.
The Bulldogs’ pitching staff allowed four hits – only one after the fifth – and combined for seven strikeouts.
It was Gonzaga’s third shutout of the season.
GU heads to San Francisco to face the Dons (16-16, 5-4 West Coast Conference) for the first time on Friday to begin a three-game series.
WSU travels to face No. 11 Arizona (21-8, 9-4 Pac-12) for three games, starting Friday.