SPOKANE, Wash.- The Portland Pilots scored just three runs despite racking up 14 hits as the Gonzaga Bulldogs won 11-3 in the second game of a three-game West Coast Conference series at Avista Stadium. Nik Kosach, Travis Vetters and Jesse Rodgers each had three hits for Portland (7-28, 3-11 WCC), but left-handed starter Ed Clelland pitched eight impressive innings, striking out six Pilots to lead Gonzaga (14-21, 7-7 WCC) to the victory.
Portland got out on top with a run in the first after a hit batsman and an error allowed Kosach to come around and score for a 1-0 lead. Gonzaga wasted no time in regaining the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Bulldogs broke out in the second inning, scoring six runs against Pilot freshman starter Sean Sargent, to take an 8-1 lead. Five hits and an error did the Pilots in as Zags’ right fielder Marshall Bratton spearheaded the rally with a two-run double. Sargent (2-5) was chased after 1.2 innings, allowing eight runs, five earned, on eight hits.
Three consecutive singles from the top of Portland’s order in the third looked promising, but only one run was scored as Clelland got Jeffrey Crinklaw to ground into a double play and notched the third out of the inning with another groundout off the bat of Joe Watson.
The Bulldogs tacked on three more in the fourth as David Johnson blasted a three-run homer to left field. Vetters hit an RBI-single in the seventh for the final run of the game.
Clelland (2-5) scattered 12 hits in eight innings, while only allowing three runs and striking out six Pilot batters. Jeff Culpepper and Kiel Thibault each had three hits for Gonzaga, while Johnson finished with four RBIs.
Sophomore right-hander Trent Kristjanson pitched 4.2 innings of scoreless relief for the Pilots, surrendering just five hits and striking out two. Vetters drove in two of Portland’s three runs and increased his batting average to .328 on the season. Crinklaw’s 12-game hitting streak came to an end with an 0-for-4 day at the plate.
The teams will conclude their three-game WCC series at Avista Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m.
