April 10, 2004
Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
SAN FRANCISCO - The University of San Francisco Dons (16-19, 6-6 WCC) used two big offensive outbursts on Saturday afternoon as they swept a West Coast Conference doubleheader from the Gonzaga University Bulldogs (11-21, 5-7 WCC) at Benedetti Diamond. USF won the first game 14-5 before exploding in the nightcap for a 16-9 win. Gonzaga had won the series opener on Friday by a similar 16-9 score.
In the first game San Francisco warmed up the bats in a hurry against Bulldogs starter Ed Clelland (1-5) as they scored two in the first, three in the third and four in the fifth against the Zags hurler. Stefan Gartrell had the big shot in that scoring spree as he connected for a three-run homer in the third and added an RBI single in the fifth to start the four run outburst. Joe Jacobitz, Jonnie Knoble and Craig Click also added RBI hits in the Dons scoring run.
Gonzaga had built an early 2-0 lead as they scored two runs against USF starter Derek Tate (3-4) in the first inning, Kiel Thibault connecting for an RBI single and then coming around to score on an error by the Dons. Tate would settle down and pitch into the eighth before being lifted with five runs scored against him, only two of them earned. Aaron McGuinness had a run scoring single in the eighth while the other two Zags runs scored on defensive miscues by San Francisco.
The Dons added four insurance runs in the eighth to set the final margin of victory at 14-5. Nick Cirbo had a two-run home run and Knoble a two-run triple to account for the USF runs. Chris Sinner, Brad Welker, Matt Reding and McGuinness all had two hits in the opener for GU while Blake Nelson, Lucas DeLong and Gartrell all had three hits for San Francisco.
In the nightcap San Francisco would score all the runs needed in the sixth inning as they posted 11 runs against three Gonzaga pitchers. Craig Click, Blake Nelson, Armand Gaerlan and Chris Genung all provided two-run hits during the inning with Gaerlan lacing a double down the left field line to finish off the scoring. John Gonzalez was finally able to get the Bulldogs out of the inning after Josh Monroe (0-2) and Chris Albrecht combined for one out.
The Bulldogs had been leading 6-5 heading into the bottom of the sixth after scoring in four of the first five innings. Kiel Thibault drove home three of the Zags first six runs with RBI singles in the first and second inning and a fielder's choice in the fourth. David Johnson, Chris Sinner and Bobby Carlson accounted for the remaining GU runs.
San Francisco received some early offense from a two-run triple by Gaerlan in the third and a Scott Cousins two-run single in the fifth. T.J. Franco (4-3) picked up the win with 2.1 innings of relief before Gonzaga could score a couple of late runs against Steve Molof. Thibault led the Bulldogs with four hits while Brad Welker and Sinner each had three. Gaerlan and Jacobitz were the hitting stars for San Francisco with three hits each. Gonzaga returns to action on Tuesday with a 5 p.m. game at Washington State. This is a time change from all previous printed schedules that listed the game at 2 p.m.
