April 18, 2009
Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. - No. 22 Gonzaga University dropped a 3-2 West Coast Conference contest to the University of Portland Saturday afternoon. Tyson Van Winkle extended his hitting streak to seven games with a 2-for-4 performance for the Bulldogs (25-11, 7-4 WCC).
The Pilots (19-17, 3-8 WCC) used a two-out three-run home run from Bryant Krause off of Bulldog reliever Cody Martin in the eighth inning to pick up the victory. Gonzaga starting pitcher AJ Proszek fired seven shutout innings and struck out five in his first start of the season before giving way to Martin to start the eighth.
The Bulldogs backed Proszek early, scoring single runs in the second and third innings to build a 2-0 lead. A two-out RBI single off the bat of Evan Wells scored Jason Chatwood in the second inning and Mark Castellitto's RBI ground out in the third inning brought Van Winkle across to make it 2-0.
The score would sit at 2-0 for the next five innings as both Proszek and Portland starter Scott Burris held both lineups in check in the span, combining to allow just three hits until the Pilots put together their rally in the eighth inning.
In the eighth, Proszek gave way to Martin who started the inning by retiring the first hitter he faced on an infield popup. Portland then used a one-out single and a two-out walk to put two runners on base. Kraus, the Pilots four-hole hitter, then drove Martin's 0-1 pitch over the left field fence for the go-ahead three run shot.
The Bulldogs did make it interesting in the ninth though. Van Winkle was hit-by-the-pitch with two outs and Grant Kveder was then inserted into the game to run at first for Van Winkle. Ryan Wiegand followed with an opposite-field double that made its way into the left field corner. Kveder looked as if he was going to score and tie the game at 3-3 but Pilot shortstop Kris Kauppila's relay throw made it to the plate just in time to tag out Kveder and prevent the Zags from tying the game.
Martin (3-3) took the loss after allowing the three runs in the eighth.
Wiegand's double on the final play was his 13th of the season and the 59th in his career, tying him with Jerrod Wong for the most doubles in school history. Van Winkle also recorded his team-leading 19th and 20th doubles of the season.
Gonzaga will send Steven Ames to the mound for Sunday's rubber match with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
