NW Briefs: Ex-Husky wins Beat the Bridge

Mark Mandi, a former University of Washington cross-country and track standout, won the men's race, and Courtney Babcock of Missoula, Mont., won the women's Sunday in the Nordstrom Beat the Bridge 8-kilometer race.

Mandi, a 23-year-old product of Mariner High School of Everett, finished the distance of about 5 miles in 24 minutes, 29 seconds, beating Leif Kohler of Issaquah by 18 seconds. Greg Crowther of Seattle was third.

Mandi was captain of the Huskies' cross-country team last fall and was all-Pac-10 in 2004 and 2005.

Babcock, 33, a Canadian 5,000-meter and cross-country champion who now lives in Montana, ran away with the women's race. Her time of 27:02 was 55 seconds ahead of runner-up Kelly Strong of Kirkland. Linda Huyck of Olympia was third.

Jerry Mitchell of Federal Way won the men's wheelchair race in 22:41, and Suzannah Scaroni won the women's wheelchair race in 25:51.

About 9,000 participated in the events, which are expected to raise more than $1 million for juvenile-diabetes research.

Beat the Bridge, which begins and ends at Husky Stadium, is the nation's fourth-largest 8K race. Runners try to reach the University Bridge before it is raised 2 miles into the course.

Cougars fall, 13-3

PULLMAN — Cole Gillespie drove home four runs to lead a 13-hit Oregon State attack as the Beavers posted a 13-3 victory over Washington State at Bailey-Brayton Field.

Down 7-0 in the eighth, WSU (34-21, 9-12 Pac-10) avoided the shutout when Jared Prince connected for a two-out double down the right-field line. Jim Murphy drove him in with an RBI single to center, and Zach McAngus hit a two-run home run to cap the Cougars' scoring.

Line score

OREGON ST. 13, WASHINGTON ST. 3

Oregon State	211 000 315 — 13 13 1
Washington State	000 000 030 — 3 10 1

Prince, Webb (4), Kost (7), Cebula (9) and Franklin, Gilbert (8). Stutes, Kunz (6), Gunderson (8) and Canham. WP — Stutes (6-2). LP — Prince (6-2). Save — None. HRs — WSU: McAngus. OSU: Gillespie, Rowe.

Rowing

Former UW oarsman Brett Newlin and partner Josh Inman earned an invitation to represent the United States at the World Rowing Championships with a win in the men's pair at the U.S. National Selection Regatta on Lake Mercer, near Princeton, N.J.

Newlin and Inman crossed the finish line in 6:37.79, nearly five seconds ahead of former UW rower Sam Burns and partner Dan Beery.

In non-qualifying events, Pocock's Anna Mickelson and Megan Cooke won the women's pair (7:24.23) and Pocock's Lia Pernell and Liane Malcos won the women's double sculls (7:05.32).

Track and field

Erik Jensen (decathlon), Michael Johnson (men's hammer throw) and Megan Wochnick (women's hammer throw) of Pacific Lutheran will compete at the NCAA Division III championships, hosted by Benedictine University this weekend in Lisle, Ill.

Golf

The team of professional Michael Givens of Tacoma Firs Golf Club and amateurs JC Kim, Haengwoo Lee, William Stegeman and Hyun Um took Day 2 team honors with a 26-under-par 118 in the second round of the Washington Open pro-am at Canterwood Golf and Country Club in Gig Harbor.

Compiled from sports-information reports and other sources.