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Eight Bulldog Doubles Spark 6-5 Victory
March 2, 2007
LEWISTON, Idaho - - Eight doubles by the Gonzaga University baseball team sparked a comeback victory Friday, as the Bulldogs defeated Utah Valley State College 6-5 in the second day of the Banana Belt Tournament at Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho. With the win, Gonzaga improves to 7-8 including going 2-0 at the Banana Belt Tournament. Utah Valley State falls to 2-8 and 0-2 at the four-day event. Gonzaga reliever Shawn Wayt (1-0) earned the win, after relieving starter Brandon Harmon in the eighth inning. Wayt pitched 1.2 shutout innings, allowing one hit, no walks while striking out one. Harmon started the game going 7.1 innings and allowed five runs, four earned, on nine hits and four walks with one strikeout. Marcus Moore (1-1) took the loss for the Wolverines after throwing one inning, allowing two runs on three hits. Five Zags recorded doubles in the game with three of the five recording two doubles each. Aaron McGuinness, Ryan Wiegand and Dustin Colclough each recorded a pair of doubles, while Darin Holcomb and Tyson Van Winkle each posted one. The Bulldogs posted the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning when Van Winkle doubled to left center to score Colclough, who recorded Gonzaga's first double of the afternoon to lead off the inning. Utah Valley State answered with three runs in the top of the third with a one-run single by Eli Slesk and two-run single by Dan Bulow.
The Zags narrowed the score with a run in their half of the third to bring the scored to 3-2. Wiegand drove home the run with a double to center to score Holcomb. Holcomb had reached based one batter earlier when he doubled down the left field line. Gonzaga took the lead in the next frame 4-3 with two runs scored. Van Winkle started the scoring when he was plated on a singled by Michael Rhodes. The other inning run came when Evan Wells grounded out to the pitcher and scored Ben Greenslitt. The Wolverines tied the game 4-4 in the top of the sixth with a run-scoring single by Dick Bargewell. Utah Valley State would then take a 5-4 lead in the eighth with a single by Austin Heaps that plated Bulow. The Bulldogs posted two runs in the bottom of the eighth to spark the come-from-behind victory. With one out, Wells started the rally with an infield single. McGuinness then knocked a double to left field to advance Wells to third. The next batter, Holcomb, took a pitch through the right side for a single that scored Wells and advanced McGuinness to third. McGuinness then scored when Wiegand hit into a fielder's choice to found Holcomb out at second. Chris Highmark is expected to get the start Saturday when Gonzaga plays Southern Utah University in the third day of the Banana Belt Tournament. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. |
