May 7, 2000
Box Score
LOS ANGELES - Gonzaga (25-22, 15-12 WCC) entered Sunday afternoon needing a sweep to stay alive in the West Coast Conference Coast Division race, instead the Bulldogs were themselves swept by #14 Loyola Marymount (35-15, 21-6 WCC) at Page Stadium in Los Angeles. The Lions won the opening game 12-2 to wrap up the Coast Division championship and became the first team this season to sweep a series from Gonzaga with the 13-8 nightcap victory.
In the nightcap, Loyola Marymount scored seven runs in the opening two innings against Gonzaga starter Scott Stencil (2-2) and rolled on for a 13-8 victory over the Zags becoming the first team of the season to sweep a series from GU.
The Lions continued their long ball stroke as the belted out four home runs over the opening two frames behind the stroke of Kris Zacuto, Anthony Angel, Robert Hirsh and Zag killer Scott Walter. Walter connected for his fourth home run of the day and fifth of the series against Gonzaga pitching.
Gonzaga showed signs of a rally as they came to bat in the top of the third inning with a three run effort against LMU starter Ben Bonilla (9-0). Jason Bay, Barry Matthews and Adam Stokey hit back-to-back singles to give the Zags their first run of the game. Kevin Hara then was hit by a pitch to load the bases for third baseman Danny Evans. Evans came through with a two-run single to close the gap to four runs. That would be all the damage Bonilla would allow on the afternoon leaving after five innings to collect his 9th victory.
LMU put the game on ice in the next three innings with two runs apiece in the bottom of the fourth, fifth and sixth frames. Brent Church hit a two-run homer in the top of the sixth with Kevin Hara and Jeremy Doane adding RBI hits in the seventh inning. Doane capped off a two RBI game driving home GU's final run in the top of the ninth inning.
Barry Matthews extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a 4-for-4 afternoon while Jeremy Doane, Danny Evans and Brent Church each drove home two runs. Anthony Angel and Scott Walter led the Lions with three hit afternoons with David Maffei driving home three Lions.
Gonzaga returns home to Spokane this weekend to close out its 2000 home season with a three game West Coast Conference series against the University of San Francisco. Saturday's double-header starts at noon at August / A.R.T. Stadium with Sunday's single game starting at noon after special senior day ceremonies. The Bulldogs need two wins in their final six games to assure themselves of their second consecutive winning season.
