April 2, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

Games 26-28
Gonzaga (18-7, 2-1 WCC)
vs.
#26 Pepperdine (16-11, 0-3 WCC)
Malibu, Calif.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Live Stats Available

Probable Bulldog Lineup
Position Player (Yr., B/T) 2009 Stats
Catcher Tyson Van Winkle (Jr., R/R) .311, 19 R, 13 2B, 2 HR, 24 RBI
First Base Ryan Wiegand (Sr., L/R) .255, 20 R, 9 2B, 22 RBI
Second Base Evan Wells (Sr., L/R) .312, 30 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 10 RBI, 7 SB
Shortstop Ernesto Ortiz (Fr., L/R) .286, 17 R, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBI
Third Base Jason Chatwood (Sr., R/R) .220, 20 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 3 SB
Left Field Mark Castellitto (Jr., R/R) .315, 5 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 25 RBI, 3 SB
Centerfield Drew Heid (Jr., L/R) .356, 37 H, 4 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 5 SB
Right Field Anthony Synegal (Sr., R/R) .346, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 3 SB
Designated Hitter Grant Kveder (Sr., L/R) .385, 5-for-13, 7 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB

THIS WEEKEND: Gonzaga University wraps up its eight-game road swing with a West Coast Conference weekend series against #26 Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. The Bulldogs and Waves will match up 3 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS LIVE: All Gonzaga University home games and selected away games will be available via Gametracker on the internet at http://www.gozags.com. Selected home and away games will also be videostreamed, check the Gonzaga web site to sign up for live video streaming and view other Gametracker links.

ON DECK: After Gonzaga University's weekend series with #26 Pepperdine University the Bulldogs will play host to the University of Washington for two games on Monday and Tuesday before they will match up with the University of San Diego for a three-game series at the Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field Apr. 9-11.

THIS WEEK: This past Tuesday night in Seattle, Wash., Gonzaga University rallied from a 4-2 deficit with five runs in the ninth inning to pick up a 7-4 win over the University of Washington. It was the second time this season that the Zags have scored five runs in the ninth inning to complete a comeback and the third time they have used their ninth inning at-bat to earn a win. They erased an 8-4 deficit against the University of the Pacific Mar. 10 with five runs in the bottom of the ninth and beat the University of San Francisco 6-4 last Sunday after scoring two runs in the top half of the ninth inning.

LAST WEEKEND: Gonzaga University opened West Coast Conference play by taking two of three from the University of San Francisco in San Francisco last weekend. The Bulldogs used a five-run first inning to go on and pick up a 10-2 win Friday, then suffered a 11-4 setback Saturday before using two runs in the ninth inning Sunday to take the rubber match. Senior third baseman Jason Chatwood's squeeze bunt in the ninth inning brought home the eventual game-winner in Sunday's finale.

RECEIVING SOME ATTENTION: After taking its third consecutive series this past weekend, Gonzaga University appears in the "Receiving Votes" category of the latest ESPN/USA Today National Poll for the second straight week. It is the third time that the Bulldogs have appeared in a national poll this season. The Zags received votes after starting the season 6-1 with two wins over then #10 ranked University of Missouri and later received votes after posting series sweeps of Utah Valley University and the University of the Pacific a couple weeks ago. The last time the Zags received a national ranking was in 2006 when they were ranked No. 26 by Collegiate Baseball.

ABOUT THE PEPPERDINE WAVES: Pepperdine University enters the weekend with an overall record of 16-11, 0-3 in the West Coast Conference and ranked #26 in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). The Waves were swept by #23 University of San Diego in each team's WCC opening series last weekend. Pepperdine leads the all-time series 40-19 but the Zags have won three of the last five meetings. GU took two-of-three down in Malibu in 2007 and the two teams split the two games played in Spokane last season. The third game was cancelled due to weather. Third baseman Colin Rooney leads the club with a .424 batting average. Head coach Steve Rodriguez is in his sixth season at Pepperdine and owns a 202-130 career record at the school.

VAN WINKLE CONTINUING TO LEAD TO THE WAY: Gonzaga University junior catcher Tyson Van Winkle has continued to swing a hot bat for the Zags as they near the midpoint of the season. The Vancouver, Wash. native has started every game behind the plate and comes into the weekend series against Pepperdine University leading the Bulldogs in doubles (13), tied for the team-lead in RBI (24), second in hits (33) and home runs (2) and is third in slugging (.491).

FRIDAY NIGHT FIELDS: Senior right-handed starting pitcher Matt Fields has won his last three starts to own a 3-1 record heading into this weekend's series at Pepperdine University. He struck out five and allowed just two runs in seven innings against the University of San Francisco last weekend. Against the University of Nevada Feb. 20 he struck out a season-high eight and later pitched a season-high 7.1 innings against Utah Valley Mar. 13. Fields has pitched in every Friday game so far this season and enters the week leading the Zags in innings pitched (38.0) and second on the team in strikeouts (34) and in ERA (2.84). The 2008 All-West Coast Conference honorable mention selection posted a team-best eight wins and finished with 3-1 record as the Friday starter last season.

SHUTTING THE DOOR: Gonzaga University relief pitchers senior A.J. Proszek and sophomore Cody Martin have combined to record two wins, three saves and allow just three earned runs in their last 13.2 innings since Martin moved back to the bullpen following the series against Utah Valley University. The success of junior Steven Ames (5-0) as the number three starter has allowed the Zags to move Martin, who broke the school record for saves last season with nine, back to closer role. Proszek has recorded the first two saves of his career this season and owns a 0.71 ERA in six appearances. Martin has allowed just four hits, collected two wins and a save since his move back to the pen.

DOING WHAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO DO: Senior second baseman and lead-off hitter Evan Wells has continued to be that spark atop the Gonzaga University lineup. Wells has scored multiple runs in a game nine times this season including matching his career-high with four runs scored in the Mar. 24 loss to the University of Utah. He enters the weekend second in the West Coast Conference in walks (22), third in runs scored (30) and fifth in on-base percentage (.472). The 2008 All-WCC Honorable Mention selection also leads the Zags in stolen bases (7) and is fourth in hitting (.312).

ANNOUNCING THEIR PRESENCE WITH AUTHORITY: Gonzaga University freshmen shortstop Ernesto Ortiz and starting pitcher Ryan Carpenter have both made immediate impacts for the Bulldogs in the first six weeks of their collegiate careers. Ortiz produced a team-best 12-game hitting streak earlier this season and enters this weekend tied for third on the team in doubles (5) and owns the sixth best batting average (.286). Carpenter has been one of the most impressive freshman pitchers in the country through is first six collegiate starts. He has recorded eight or more strikeouts three times this season including a career-high 10 strikeout performance against Utah Valley University Mar. 14. The Peoria, Ariz. native enters the week with a team-high 37 strikeouts, tied for second on the team in wins (3) and third in innings (32.0).

WIEGAND MAKING HIS MARK: In his final season for Gonzaga University, senior first baseman Ryan Wiegand finds himself within reach of a couple of school offensive records. The San Diego native picked up his ninth double and RBI No. 22 of the season in Tuesday's win over the University of Washington, giving him 55 career doubles and 174 career RBI. Wiegand also moved into the school's top-10 career hit list earlier this season, his 26 hits in 2009 place him fourth with 240 career base-hits and trails Eric Rodland's top mark of 269 by 29. He also enters the week sixth all-time in at-bats (719) and seventh in walks (98).

MARTIN NAMED TO NCBWA PRESEASON STOPPER WATCH LIST: Gonzaga University sophomore pitcher Cody Martin has been named to the 2009 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List. Forty players have been named to the initial watch list for the fifth annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. The initial list will be updated with a mid-season release the week of April 16, including the national saves leaders. At the conclusion of the regular season, the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists and released Wednesday, May 27, prior to start of NCAA regional tournament competition. The NCBWA's All-America Committee will then select the winner, with this year's recipient to be announced in early June.

CASTELLITTO'S BIG WEEKEND EARNED HIM WCC ACCOLADE: Gonzaga University junior left fielder Mark Castellitto was named the West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Week Mar. 15-22. Castellitto earned his first career WCC weekly accolade after finishing this past weekend with a .538 (7-for-13) batting average, one double, six RBI, two runs scored, a .615 slugging percentage and .571 on-base percentage. GU swept its three-game series with Big West Conference member University of the Pacific as Castellitto finished with at least two hits and drove in two runs each game of the series. His one-out line drive single to left center scored the game-winning run to cap off the Zags five-run ninth-inning comeback win Mar. 21.

PAIR OF ZAGS EARNED WCC WEEKLY ACCOLADES: Gonzaga University junior catcher Tyson Van Winkle and sophomore pitcher Cody Martin were named West Coast Conference Player and Co-Pitcher of the Week respectively, following the Zags season-opening weekend in which they posted a 3-1 record including two wins over #10 University of Missouri. Van Winkle earned his first career WCC weekly accolade after going 9-for-18 (.500) with four doubles, one home run, nine RBI, five runs scored and a .889 slugging percentage in the Zags' four games. Martin limited #10 Missouri to one earned run on three hits and struck out six over seven innings to earn the win. It is the second career WCC Player of the Week award for Martin.

ZAGS PLACED FOURTH IN WCC PRESEASON POLL; EARN 1ST PLACE VOTE: Gonzaga University was picked to finish fourth in the West Coast Conference for the 2009 season according to a preseason vote of the league's head coaches. San Diego and Pepperdine were picked as favorites to win this year's WCC regular season title in the 2009 preseason baseball poll. San Diego and Pepperdine both received 45 points, with the Toreros receiving four first place votes to three for the Waves. Gonzaga received the last remaining first place vote.