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Spokane area natives McKabe Cottrell, Elijah Hainline come up big for Washington State in win over Gonzaga

Washington St. infielder Kyle Russell (1) forces Gonzaga infielder Tommy Eisenstat (29) out at second then sends the ball to first base for the double play during an NCAA college baseball game, Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at Gonzaga University (Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review)
Washington St. infielder Kyle Russell (1) forces Gonzaga infielder Tommy Eisenstat (29) out at second then sends the ball to first base for the double play during an NCAA college baseball game, Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at Gonzaga University (Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review)Buy a print of this photo
From staff reports

Two Washington State baseball players returned to their hometown and lifted the Cougars to a victory over Gonzaga.

WSU reliever McKabe Cottrell, a Freeman High graduate, worked out of a bases-loaded jam late in the game. Second baseman Elijah Hainline, a graduate of Mead High, reached base four times as the Cougars claimed a 4-2 nonconference win against the Zags on Tuesday at the Patterson Baseball Complex.

Cottrell, who graduated from Freeman High and spent his redshirt year at Gonzaga in 2018, was called upon in the eighth inning with WSU (22-13) protecting a three-run lead.

Pitcher Caden Kaelber, usually a starter for the Cougars, was pulled from the game after walking the bases full on 21 pitches without recording an out. Cottrell gave up an RBI single to Gonzaga’s Sam Stem, but that was all the Bulldogs (13-20) could muster.

Cottrell threw a runner out at home on a fielder’s choice, then induced a flyout and tossed a strikeout. The junior left-hander retired the side in the ninth to earn the save.

Hainline finished 3 for 3 with two doubles and a triple. He also reached on a hit by pitch. The sophomore drove in a run with an RBI double in the fourth inning, putting WSU ahead 3-1.

The Cougars’ pitching staff held Gonzaga scoreless between the third and seventh innings. The Zags managed one hit per inning in that stretch. WSU reliever Duke Brotherton ran into some trouble in the fifth, but stranded two Bulldog baserunners. Brotherton (1-0) got the win after working two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two.

WSU scored one run in the third inning, added two more in the fourth and finished its scoring with an RBI flyout in the fifth inning from designated hitter Sam Brown. Neither team was consistent at the plate, but the Cougars grinded ground out enough offense with a small-ball approach, scoring three runs on sacrifice knocks.

Brown finished 3 for 4 with an RBI. Third baseman Cam Magee and outfielder Bryce Matthews contributed sacrifice RBIs.

Cougars starter Spencer Jones went three innings, surrendering one run on three hits while striking out two.

Gonzaga starter Nate Deschryver (3-4) took the loss. He gave up three runs on five hits. Stem went 3 for 4 to pace the Bulldogs, who totaled eight hits but none for extra bases.

The Cougars avenged a 12-7 loss to Gonzaga on March 21 in Spokane. The rivals meet again May 2 in Pullman.

Next up, WSU will host a three-game nonconference series against Santa Clara, which begins at 3 p.m. Friday. The Zags hit the road for a West Coast Conference set at Portland, beginning at 6 p.m. Friday.