Cougars routed by Bulldogs

Gonzaga scored nine runs in third inning to secure win

Redshirt+sophomore+catcher+Jake+Meyer+hits+the+ball+during+the+game+against+Gonzaga+on+Tuesday+afternoon+at+Bailey-Brayton+Field.+The+Cougars+play+the+Golden+Bears+this+Friday.+

OLIVER MCKENNA

Redshirt sophomore catcher Jake Meyer hits the ball during the game against Gonzaga on Tuesday afternoon at Bailey-Brayton Field. The Cougars play the Golden Bears this Friday.

CARSON BROWN, Evergreen Reporter

The WSU baseball team lost 15-3 to the Gonzaga University Bulldogs baseball team on Tuesday afternoon in Pullman.

Redshirt freshman catcher Stephen Lund dominated the game for Gonzaga with four hits, six RBIs and three doubles.

For the Cougars, sophomore first baseman Kyle Manzardo had two hits, a run and an RBI.

WSU walked nine GU batters and hit four with pitches.

“It comes down to free bases,” head coach Brian Green said. “It’s an issue we need to correct.”

On the mound getting the start for the Cougars was sophomore pitcher Brandon White. White pitched for the first time since the Cougars’ opening game in mid-February. He pitched just one inning and gave up two hits and an earned run.

GU scored off White with a hit from senior infielder Ryan Sullivan which brought in redshirt junior infielder Ernie Yake home safely.

For the Bulldogs, sophomore pitcher Keaton Knueppel started on the hill. He pitched three innings giving up six hits and one earned run.

Manzardo continued his hot streak and hit a home run in his first time up to the plate in the first inning.

The game was tied 1-1 entering the second inning. Junior right-handed pitcher Brody Barnum took over for White in the top of the second inning for the Cougars.

In the top of the third, redshirt junior infielder Brett Harris scored for the Bulldogs on a double from Lund.

Gonzaga added two more runs as a single from redshirt junior Jack Machtolf scored Lund and Sullivan.

Another run was added when senior infielder Josh Bristyan hit a single that scored Machtolf.

WSU made another pitching change as sophomore pitcher Connor Barison replaced Barnum in the top of the third.

GU quickly scored again as a double from freshman infielder Anthony Garrett got Bristyan all the way home.

After giving up another run, Barison was replaced by junior pitcher Hayden Rosenkrantz. The Cougars used four pitchers in the first three innings.

A sacrifice fly brought another run for Gonzaga and a double from Lund scored Harris and junior outfielder Isaac Barrera.

The inning ended after the Bulldogs scored nine runs, and the Cougars trailed 10-1 going into the bottom of the third.

A single from junior right fielder Collin Montez scored junior third baseman Jack Smith to give the Cougars a run entering the fourth inning.

The Bulldogs made their first pitching change of the game when they brought in freshman pitcher Reagan Haas in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Lund doubled in the top of the fifth to score Barrera and Harris for the Bulldogs. The Cougars trailed 12-2 and made their fifth pitching change of the game when they put redshirt junior pitcher Tanner West on the mound.

West gave up one run in his first inning on the hill. WSU was down by 11 entering the bottom of the fifth.

A triple from sophomore shortstop Kodie Kolden scored redshirt sophomore catcher Jake Meyer for the Cougars in the bottom of the fifth.

A Yake triple tacked on another run for the Bulldogs in the top of the sixth as Garrett scored all the way from first.

Lund’s sixth RBI of the game scored Yake as Gonzaga went up 15-3 in the top of the sixth.

The Cougars made another pitching change in the top of the seventh inning bringing in freshman pitcher Grant Taylor.

In the bottom of the seventh Haas was replaced on the mound with freshman pitcher Jacob Rutherford for the Bulldogs.

Freshman pitcher Ethan Ross came in for the Cougars to close out the game on the mound in the top of the ninth.

The Cougars finished the game losing 15-3 to end their four-game winning streak.

“We have to continue to get better,” Green said. “We need to take it pitch-by-pitch. We have the fewest strikeouts in the Pac-12.”

The Cougars begin their Pac-12 conference play against the University of California Golden Bears starting at 3:05 p.m. Friday in Pullman.