April 2, 2004
Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. - The Gonzaga University Bulldogs (10-17, 4-3 WCC) built an early 8-1 lead on Friday afternoon and then cruised to a 10-5 West Coast Conference victory over the University of San Diego Toreros (14-17, 2-8 WCC) during the series opener at Avista Stadium in Spokane. The two teams will resume their three-game series on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. with the series finale set for 1 p.m. on Sunday. The win was also the first at home for the Bulldogs in four attempts this season.
Gonzaga scored its first run of the game in the opening inning as Marshall Bratton singled up the middle off the glove of Toreros shortstop Jose Ortega to score Chris Sinner from second base. The Bulldogs then piled on four more runs in the third as Aaron McGuinness led off the inning with a solo home run to right field. Kiel Thibault would add a two-run blast three batters later to extend the Gonzaga lead to 4-1. After a walk to Jeff Culpepper, San Diego starter Tom Caple (1-6) was lifted from the game. Bobby Carlson would hit a sharp single to left off Toreros relief pitcher Justin Blaine to extend the margin to 5-1.
The Bulldogs added three additional runs in the fifth inning as Carlson again connected for a big hit, a two-run bases loaded double. Matt Reding would score on the next pitch as Blaine delivered a wild pitch that skipped away from USD catcher Jordan Abruzzo.
San Diego had scored the first run of the game as Caple was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Freddy Sandoval laced a double down the right field line to score Caple and give San Diego an early 1-0 lead. Gonzaga starter Eric Dworkis (4-2) would then settle down and not allow another San Diego run until the six as he tossed his second complete game of the season. The Toreros would score single runs in the sixth and eighth on home runs by Keoni Ruth and Abruzzo.
Gonzaga added two insurance runs in the eighth on a David Johnson double and Chris Sinner's swipe of home plate when Thibault was caught stealing at second base. The Toreros scored two runs against Dworkis in the ninth with Josh Hansen and Abruzzo collecting RBI singles.
Bratton was the top Bulldogs hitter on the day going 4-for-5 while Carlson finished 2-for-4 with 3 RBI. Abruzzo and Ortega each had three hits for San Diego.
