Area roundup: EWU’s Paul sets hammer record

David Paul of Eastern Washington won two events and shattered the all-time Big Sky Conference record in the men’s hammer throw at the league’s track and field championships Friday in Pocatello, Idaho.

The senior from Yelm, Wash., blasted out a throw of 226 feet, 2 inches – winning the event by nearly 38 feet and topping the mark of 219-8 set two years ago by Northern Arizona’s Karim Chester. It also added almost 10 feet to Paul’s school record set earlier this year.

Paul then came back to win the discus with a throw of 179-3 to account for all but one of EWU’s 21 points, which left the Eagles in fifth behind leader Idaho State.

On the women’s side, the Eagles were in eighth place but got a runner-up finish in the javelin from senior Carolee Gutierrez, whose throw of 161-0 left her 16 inches behind Kim Berg of Montana State. Sarah Hegna was second in the pole vault at 12-5 1/2.

“Melinda Owen won a fourth title in the pole vault and Idaho’s women surged into an early lead at the Western Athletic Conference championships in Fresno, Calif.

Owen, who has won every WAC meet she’s entered indoors and out, cleared 13-5 1/4 and led the Vandals to 73 points through seven events, 24 ahead of second-place Nevada. The Vandals also got three runner-up finishes from Bevan Kennelly in the steeplechase (10 minutes, 49.89 seconds), Mandy Macalister in the 10,000 meters (37:31.65) and Mykael Bothum in the shot put (50-7 1/4).

The Vandals men were second behind Utah State, 72-49, led by the second-place finish of Diego Moreno-Guzman in the steeplechase (9:00.68). Among the day’s better UI efforts was a third place in the hammer by freshman James Rogan, who added nearly 17 feet to his lifetime best with a throw of 192-1.

Bonners Ferry’s Forest Braden of Boise State won the day’s final event, the men’s 10,000 in 31:11.66.

Baseball

Gonzaga scored three runs in the ninth and beat No. 17 Pepperdine (31-18, 10-6) 5-3 in a West Coast Conference game at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu, Calif.

Darin Holcomb had four hits for the Bulldogs (31-21, 14-5), who need one more win this weekend to secure second place and a spot in the WCC championships.

“Simi Reynolds had three hits, leading Washington State to a 5-4 win over No. 11 Oregon State in a Pac-10 Conference game in Corvallis, Ore.

Starter Wayne Daman Jr. earned the win for the Cougars (24-21, 7-12), who had lost the previous seven games to the Beavers (35-11, 7-8).

“Danny Cox went 3 for 5 with a run and an RBI as Washington (26-21, 9-7) topped Stanford (19-27, 4-15) 7-5 in a Pac-10 Conference game at Sunken Diamond in Stanford, Calif.“Whitworth players Dan Ramsey and Chad Flett were named to the All-Northwest Conference second team while five other Pirates were chosen as honorable mention selections.

Ramsey, a sophomore, led the team with 31 RBIs while Flett, a junior, finished 5-3 with four complete games and a 4.43 ERA.

Joel Tampien, Ryne Webb, J.J. Jones, Van Lierman and Brandon Zimmerman were all named honorable mention for Whitworth.

Women’s golf

Washington State’s Jessica Black shot a 5-over-par 76 and is tied for 18th at the NCAA West Regionals at the par-71 Entrada at Snow Canyon County Club in St. George, Utah. The Cougars are tied for eighth at 610.

Idaho’s Vandals shot a 309 in the second round and sit in 13th place with 617.

Softball

Sophomore Danielle Lawrie allowed one run on five hits and struck out six in the complete game as No. 11 Washington (35-15, 12-8) topped No. 3 Arizona (38-12-1, 14-5-1) 5-1 in a Pac-10 Conference game at Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.

Football

Former University of Idaho player Tone Taupule pleaded guilty to a felony robbery charge in Latah County District Court.