April 19, 2008
Box Score
Spokane, Wash. - The Gonzaga University baseball team exploded for seven runs in the third inning as the Bulldogs downed visiting University of Portland 9-8 Saturday at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. The victory secured a West Coast Conference series victory for the Zags as GU also defeated the Pilots Friday evening.
Gonzaga (22-16, 4-6) starter AJ Proszek (2-3) earned the victory as the junior allowed six runs, five earned, on six hits over 6.0 innings pitched. Reliever Brandon Harmon earned his first save of the season as the senior pitched the final inning of the game. Portland (17-22, 2-9) starter Mark Triolo suffered the loss after allowing seven runs, three earned, on eight hits over the opening 2.2 frames.
Drew Heid led GU at the plate on the afternoon, going 3-for-3 with a run batted in and one scored. Evan Wells, Tyson Van Winkle and Mark Castellitto each posted two hits. With his two hits, Wells extended his current hit streak to 11 games, matching a Gonzaga season-high.
Portland jumped out on the scoreboard in the second frame when Chase Powell scored on a pass ball, taking an early 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs erupted in the second, sending 13 batters to the plate to record seven runs on seven hits, two walks and a Pilot error. Heid, Wells, Jason Chatwood, Marcus McKimmy, Ryan Wiegand, Van Winkle and Castellitto all scored in the frame to give the Zags a 7-1 lead.
Portland narrowed the score to 7-6 in the top of the fifth, thanks to five runs off of two home runs. Cory Wiltshire hit the first long ball of the fame as he went yard over the right center field fence with a two-run shot. Following a single and a walk, Danny Meier hit the second home run over the left center wall for a three-run shot to give narrow the Zags lead to one.
Gonzaga responded with runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth, adding two insurance runs. In the bottom of the fifth, Castellitto opened the inning with a double to left before Heid drove him in on a single up the middle. In the sixth, Wiegand smashed a solo home run to right field for his team-leading eighth home run of the season.
The Pilots tried to rally for a comeback but fell shot, posting one run in the eighth and another in the ninth. In the eighth, Meier singled to lead off the inning, before coming around to score on a fielders' choice. In the ninth, Portland capped scoring as Wiltshire was plated on a sacrifice fly by Owen Jones.
Sunday, Gonzaga will look for the sweep as the Bulldogs and Pilots face off at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. Cody Martin is expected earn his first career start for Gonzaga in the 1 p.m. game.
