May 4, 2008

Box Score

Spokane, Wash. - Senior Bryan Winston went 3-for-5 with a run scored on Senior Day Sunday as the Gonzaga University baseball team fell 9-6 to the University of San Francisco at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. The game was the rubber game of the three-game West Coast Conference series as the Dons earned the series win 2-1.

Reliever CJ McClure (4-2) suffered the loss for the Bulldogs (28-20, 8-9 WCC) after allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits over 1.0 inning pitched. Reedy Berg earned the start for Gonzaga, allowing two runs on six hits over the opening 5.1 frames. USF (28-21, 10-8) starter Matt Lujan (6-2) earned the victory, allowing three runs, four earned, on nine hits over 6.0 innings.

Gonzaga jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on one-run single by Drew Heid, scoring Evan Wells. Wells reached base on a walk to lead off the inning.

USF responded in the top of the second with a run of its own. Following a single through the right side by Ryan Lipkin, Drew Johnson hit a triple to center to plate Lipkin.

The Bulldogs regained the lead in their half of the third. Jason Chatwood and Marcus McKimmy opened the frame with back-to-back singles before Ryan Wiegand hit a single through the right side, scoring Chatwood. McKimmy scored during the next at-bat as Heid hit a deep sacrifice fly to center.

The score remained 3-1, until the top of the fifth, when USF scored a run. The Dons then went on to score in the two innings following to gain the lead. In the fifth, Joey Railey narrowed the Zags lead to one with a solo home run to center field.

Gonzaga took a two-run lead again in the bottom of the fifth as Heid scored on a Dons' fielding error.

In the sixth, San Francisco added two runs to its total, thanks to one-run singles by Connor Bernatz and Stephen Yarrow to tied the game 4-4.

The Dons took the lead for the first time in the seventh, 6-4, as Lipkin hit a single to center, resulting in a fielding error and the two runs to score.

The Bulldogs narrowed their deficit in the bottom of the eighth as Winston scored his one run of the contest. Winston led off the inning with a double, advanced to third on a single by Wells, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Chatwood.

San Francisco secured the victory in the top of the ninth with a three-run home run to left by Derek Poppert.

The Zags rallied in the bottom of the ninth, but fell short, scoring only one run. Heid led off the inning with a single to center before coming around to score on a double by Mark Castellitto, closing the score at 9-6.

Wiegand, Heid, and Wells all posted multiple hits in the game, in addition to Winston's trio of hits. Heid also drove in two while scoring two runs, while Wells extended his current hit streak to 21 games thanks to a single in the sixth inning.

Prior to the game Sunday, Gonzaga honored nine seniors as part of Senior Day activities. Brandon Blank, Ben Greenslitt, Brandon Harmon, McKimmy, Alex Parrot, Cory Powell, Michael Rhodes, Shawn Wayt and Winston were all honored prior to the first pitch.

The Zags will take a week off for finals and graduation, before resuming play Monday May 12, when they host Lewis-Clark State College at 6 p.m.