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Classic Gonzaga - Patterson Sets NCAA Hitting Record
May 23, 2005
Classic Gonzaga is a new feature on GoZags.com which looks back at some of the highlights in Gonzaga Athletic History. Every couple of weeks a new Classic Gonzaga piece will be placed on the GoZags.com site. Click here for archived Classic Gonzaga. Nearly 30 years ago Gonzaga University shortstop Larry Patterson could not have known how special of a streak he was on after finishing with five consecutive hits during the second game of an April 18, 1977 doubleheader with the College of Idaho (now Albertson's College). Patterson knew he was hot as he opened the first game with four hits as the Bulldogs picked up an 8-4 victory. After being retired in his first at-bat of the second game Patterson started his run as Gonzaga routed COI, 22-3. That second game would start an incredible string of 14 consecutive hits which still stands as the second oldest NCAA Division I hitting record. Jim LaFountain of the University of Louisville holds the oldest record still intact after hitting 3 grand slams in a game against Western Kentucky University in 1976. Two days later Patterson continued to swing a hot bat going 4-for-4 during a 14-4 win over the University of Idaho. Suffering a finger injury in the game against the Vandals, Patterson appeared only as a pitcher the next day as GU knocked off the University of Washington. On April 23rd, a healthy Patterson returned to the Bulldogs line-up and started the day with five consecutive hits as Gonzaga swept a Northern Pacific Conference doubleheader from the University of Portland, 7-4 and 7-4. The streak would come to a halt the next day against Portland State University despite a 6-0 win by Gonzaga over the Vikings. Patterson would still pick up hits in both games against PSU to extend his consecutive games hitting streak to a then-school record 25 games. That streak would end the following week. In addition to picking up hits during that run, Patterson also hit for power with 2 home runs, 5 doubles and 2 triples to his credit among those 14 consecutive hits. Patterson ended the season hitting a school-record .448 with 91 hits and 12 triples. He was selected in the 21st round of the 1977 draft by the Seattle Mariners after earning first-team All-America honors from the Baseball Coaches Association. Gonzaga would end the season 34-25, 14-10 in the Nor-Pac as the Bulldogs finished third in the conference race to miss the NCAA Tournament during head coach Larry Koentopp's final season.
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