April 1, 2001
Box Score
MALIBU, Calif. - Nate Gold drove home four of Gonzaga's five runs Sunday afternoon as the Bulldogs (12-15, 5-7 WCC) won the final game of a West Coast Conference series 5-3 over No. 16 Pepperdine (20-11, 9-3 WCC) at Eddy D. Field Stadium in Malibu. The win places GU in a sole possession of second place in the Coast Division and four games behind first-place Santa Clara after the Broncos dropped their Sunday game at Saint Mary's. Loyola Marymount and San Francisco remain tied for third place one game behind the Zags.
Sean Lichter and Jay Adams continued yesterday's pitcher's duel through the opening three innings as both starting pitchers cruised through three hitless innings of work. Eric Rodland finally broke through against the Pepperdine starter with a single in the top of the fourth. Brian Munhall then moved Rodland to third base with his eleventh double of the season. Nate Gold drove home his first run of the game with a hard single past Waves third baseman Duke Sardinha that scored Rodland. Gold and Munhall would then attempt a double steal from first and third base with Munhall beating a errant throw home for the Zags second run of the game.
Gold added more Gonzaga insurance against Adams (4-2) in the top of the sixth inning as he sent the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for a three-run home run. Gold would have another chance for RBI's in the seventh inning but Waves shortstop Simon Ferrer snagged a two-out line drive behind second base to end a bases loaded Bulldogs threat.
Lichter (2-1) appeared in control most of the game as he pitched into the ninth inning for the Zags. He surrendered his first hit of the game in the fourth inning and gave up Pepeprdine's first two runs on back-to-back doubles by Dane Ball and Woody Cliffords in the sixth. Cliffords would come around to score on a RBI single by Danny Garcia. Chris Kelly accounted for the Waves final run with a solo home run in the seventh.
David Hixson relieved Lichter in the ninth to pick up his first save of the season. Hixson worked out of a bases loaded situation when reserve outfielder Jeremy Doane made a diving catch in left centerfield to win the game for Gonzaga.
Rodland finished the game with a team high three hits while Gold and Jared Hertz added two hits for Gonzaga which will return to action on Wednesday night with a 6 p.m. game at Lewis-Clark State College. Kelly was the lone Waves batter to get multiple hits finishing with two of the teams seven hits.
