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Highmark Pitches Seven Scoreless Innings In Win
March 3, 2007
LEWISTON, Idaho - - Chris Highmark pitched seven shutout innings Saturday as the Gonzaga University baseball team defeated Southern Utah University 4-2 in the third day of the Banana Belt Tournament at Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho. The win marks Gonzaga's fifth straight and evens the Bulldogs' record at 8-8 for the season. With the loss, SSU falls to 2-12 overall. Highmark (2-3) started the game for the Zags, allowing two hits and no runs, while striking out 10 batters during his 7.0 innings of work. Also seeing time for Gonzaga was CJ McClure, who allowed two runs on three hits over 2.0 innings. Southern Utah's Cameron Nelson suffered the loss allowing three runs on six hits in 6.1 innings pitched. Both teams were held scoreless until the fifth inning, when Gonzaga pieced together doubles by Mark Castellitto and Tyson Van Winkle to take an 1-0 lead. Gonzaga added two runs in the seventh to extend its lead to 3-0. The first run was scored by Dustin Colclough on a wild pitch. Colclough reached base on a double to center before advancing to third on a wild pitch. The second run of the frame was posted when Brandon Blank scored on an one-run single to left field by Bryan Winston. Evan Wells capped Gonzaga scoring in the eighth inning when he was plated on a single to center by Darin Holcomb. Wells reached base with a single up the middle to lead off the inning, before advancing to second on a passed ball and to third on a ground out by Aaron McGuinness.
Southern Utah rallied in the bottom of the ninth, but fell short scoring only two runs. Chester Wilson hit a two-run home run to left center to finalize game scoring 4-2. The Bulldogs will return to the field tomorrow to face reigning NAIA national champion and undefeated Lewis-Clark State College in the final game of the Banana Belt Tournament. The winner of the game will be the tournament champion, as both teams are boasting a 3-0 record for the weekend. Clayton Mortensen is expected to get the start for the Bulldogs when the game gets underway at 2 p.m. |
