College baseball: Gonzaga splits West Coast Conference home doubleheader against Pacific

Brett Harris hit a three-run home run – his first career homer – and Gonzaga beat Pacific 9-7 in the first game of a West Coast Conference doubleheader on Saturday at the Patterson Baseball Complex.

In the second game, the Bulldogs lost 6-0, mustering only four hits. Pacific starter Hayden Pearce went six innings, allowing four baserunners.

In the opener, the Zags (13-14, 6-5) scored four runs in the fourth inning for an 8-2 lead, but the Tigers (16-16, 4-8) answered with a five-run fifth. Daniel Fredrickson’s RBI single in the eighth provided GU with insurance.

GU finished with 13 hits, led by Troy Johnston with three. Alek Jacob picked up his sixth save of the season, pitching two innings with four strikeouts.

California 6, Washington State 1: Andrew Vaughn and Max Flower both homered and had two RBIs and the Golden Bears (16-11, 4-4) defeated the visiting Cougars (7-22, 0-8) in Pac-12 play in Berkeley, California.

WSU’s only run came when Dillon Plew led off the game with a homer, his third of the season. Jared Horn went eight innings for Cal, giving up one run on six hits with two strikeouts.

Whitworth 10-9, Puget Sound 2-6: Cody Simmons hit a bases-clearing double in the first and the Pirates (16-11, 13-4) cruised past the visiting Loggers (9-20, 8-9) in the first game of a Northwest Conference league doubleheader.

The Pirates had 17 hits in the opener. Joe Howell went 3 for 3 with two RBIs.

In the second game, Nicholas Nerud led the charge, finishing 4 for 4 with three RBIs. Tyler Poffenroth finished 4 for 5, including his third homer, a two-run shot to left field in the sixth.