March 29, 2009
Box Score
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Gonzaga University scored two runs in the ninth inning to post a 6-4 win in the series finale with the University of San Francisco in San Francisco, Calif. Sunday afternoon.
Senior third baseman Jason Chatwood executed a squeeze play in the ninth inning to score senior Grant Kveder for the eventual game-winner for the Bulldogs (17-7, 2-1 WCC). Gonzaga had to rally from a 3-1 deficit with three runs in the seventh inning and two more in the ninth to pick up the victory in the rubber match of the series with USF (11-16, 1-2 WCC).
Gonzaga junior centerfielder Drew Heid finished with three hits and junior leftfielder Mark Castellitto and senior first baseman Ryan Wiegand each recorded two hits and two RBI. Sophomore pitcher Cody Martin earned the win for the Zags with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Kveder led off the Gonzaga ninth inning with a base-hit to right center and then stole second one batter later. Wiegand later lined a one-out single to left field to put runners on first and third for Chatwood. On the second pitch of his at-bat, Chatwood put down a perfect squeeze bunt up the first base line, allowing Kveder to score and put the Zags up 5-4. Another run came across later in the inning on an error to push the lead to 6-4.
The Bulldogs had overcome that early 3-1 deficit with three runs in the seventh. Freshman shortstop Ernesto Ortiz starting the inning by earning a walk and senior second baseman Evan Wells then reached on an error to put runners on first and second. One batter later, Castellitto singled home Ortiz with a base-hit to right center and Kveder then walked to load the bases. After a strikeout, Wiegand stepped up to the plate and smacked a two-out two-run double to left field, scoring Wells and Castellitto to take the lead.
USF strung some hits together and tied the game at 4-4 in their half of seventh. After the Dons had loaded the bases to start the inning, they were able to bring one run home on a fielder's choice. Martin then relieved Bulldog pitcher A.J. Proszek and immediately induced USF's Zach Kim to hit into a double play and then got Robert Abel to foul out to keep the game at 4-4.
Martin (3-1) retired the Dons in order in the eighth and faced the minimum in the ninth to preserve the Bulldog win. Gonzaga junior starter allowed three earned runs and struck out five in 5.2 innings.
Next up for the Zags is a two-game midweek series at the University of Washington Tuesday and Wednesday.
