May 17, 2008
Box Score
Los Angeles, Calif. - The Gonzaga University posted its 30th win of the season Saturday, marking the first time in 26 years that the Zags have earned 30 or more wins in back-to-back seasons. Marcus McKimmy led the Bulldogs, going 3-for-4 with four runs batted in as Gonzaga defeated Loyola Marymount 8-7 in Los Angeles, Calif.
GU (30-22 overall, 10-9 WCC) starter AJ Proszek (3-4) earned the victory, allowing one run on four hits, while striking out two during 6.0 innings of work. Cody Martin earned his ninth save of the season, as the freshman pitched the final inning of the game. LMU (22-32 overall, 6-14 WCC) starter Andy Beal (4-6) suffered the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits during 6.0 innings on the mound.
The Bulldogs scored the first run of the game in the top of the season. Mark Castellitto led off the inning with a single, before advancing to second on a throwing error on the play. A single by Tyson Van Winkle then moved Castellitto to second, before he came around to score on a single to right field by McKimmy.
The Lions knotted the score 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth as Michael Glomb hit a one-run single to score AJ LaMonda. LaMonda had reached based with a two-out double.
Gonzaga answered quickly, regaining a one-run lead in the top of the sixth. Grant Kveder led off the frame with a bunt single, before advancing around the base paths to eventually score on a fielding error.
GU tacked on three more runs in the top of the seventh, to take a 5-1 lead. Pinch hitter Brett Nicholas drove in the first run of the frame with an infield single. Jason Chatwood, who walked to lead off the inning, scored on the play. The next batter, McKimmy, then hit a two-run double down the left field line to plate Kveder and Michael Rhodes. Kveder had reached base on a fielders choice, before advancing to second on a walk to Rhodes.
Loyola Marymount came within one, 5-4, by scoring three runs in its half of the seventh. Angelo Songco and Ryan Wheeler each had run scoring hits in the frame, while the third run was plated on a sacrifice fly by TJ Bernardy.
The Zags extended their lead to three runs in the top of the eighth. Evan Wells led of the inning with a walk, before scoring on a triple by Drew Heid. Ryan Wiegand then hit a single to right, scoring Heid.
GU added an additional insurance run in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by McKimmy to bring the score to 8-4.
The run in the top of the ninth proved to be the deciding factor, as Wheeler hit a three-run home run for the Lions in the bottom of the ninth to bring LMU back within one, 8-7.
In addition to McKimmy's three hits, Castellitto and Nicholas each posted multiple hits, with two a piece.
The Zags will go for the three-game sweep of the Lions Sunday, during the series finale. Game time is slated for 1 p.m.
Gonzaga is still waiting to find out if a make-up game between the Bulldogs and Pepperdine University will need to be played Monday. Due to inclement weather in March in Spokane, the original three-game series between the teams had to be modified to a two-game series. The third game will be played Monday, should the game be needed to determine seeding for the WCC Championship. This weekend the Waves play Santa Clara University. Should Pepperdine take two-of-three games from the Broncos, the game will not be made up. If Santa Clara takes two of three from Pepperdine, the game will need to be played Monday at 3 p.m. in Malibu. In the series opener between Pepperdine and SCU, the Broncos won 6-3. Game two is scheduled for Saturday night at 6 p.m.
