April 30, 2009

Game Release in PDF Format

Games 42-44
Saint Mary's
(26-21, 7-8)
vs.
Gonzaga
(28-13, 10-5 WCC)
Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field
Gametracker Available
Radio on 1510 AM
Free Video Streaming Available

Probable Bulldog Lineup
Position Player (Yr., B/T) 2009 Stats
Catcher Tyson Van Winkle (Jr., R/R) .382, 66 H, 20 2B, 4 HR, 44 RBI
First Base Ryan Wiegand (Sr., L/R) .314, 32 R, 16 2B, 3 HR, 45 RBI, 1 SB
Second Base Evan Wells (Sr., L/R) .301, 45 R, 6 2B, 1 3B, 19 RBI, 11 SB
Shortstop Ernesto Ortiz (Fr., L/R) .268, 12 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 1 SB
Third Base Jason Chatwood (Sr., R/R) .220, 3 2B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 5 SB
Left Field Mark Castellitto (Jr., R/R) .288, 7 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 3 SB
Centerfield Drew Heid (Jr., L/R) .333, 5 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 7 SB
Right Field Anthony Synegal (Sr., R/R) .338, 7 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 28 RBI, 3 SB
Designated Hitter Grant Kveder (Sr., L/R) .242, 15-for-62, 11 R, 1 2B, 8 RBI, 2 SB

THIS WEEKEND: Gonzaga University is set to host Saint Mary's College for a three-game West Coast Conference weekend series at the Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Bulldogs enter the weekend in a tie for first place in the WCC with the University of San Diego who will face third-place Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Calif. this weekend.

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. All seven of Gonzaga's remaining home games will video streamed free of charge and will be on the radio at 1510 AM with Tom Hudson and former Gonzaga head coach Steve Hertz calling the action.

ON DECK: Following its midweek series with Saint Mary's College this weekend, the Zags will take next week off for finals then travel to Oregon State for two games May 12-13 before hosting Loyola Marymount University for three-game series May 15-17. The Bulldogs will close out the regular season May 19th with a home game against Washington State University.

LAST WEEK: Gonzaga University went 3-1 last week, dropping a non-conference game to the University of Arizona last Monday before sweeping a three-game series at Santa Clara University to move into a tie for first place in the West Coast Conference standings. The Zags scored three runs in the ninth to take Friday's game one and used a Mark Castellitto home run to tie Saturday's game in the ninth before the Bulldogs scored three in the 11th inning to earn the win. GU completed the sweep with a complete game effort on the mound from Steven Ames in Sunday's finale.

BULLDOGS BACK TO RECEIVING VOTES: Two weeks after earning its first national ranking since the 2006 season, Gonzaga University continues to receive votes in this week's ESPN/USA Today national poll, marking the sixth straight week they have appeared in at least one "receiving votes" section of a national poll. GU has won its two series against ranked opponents this season, taking two of three at #26 Pepperdine Apr. 3-5 and also against #21 University of San Diego in Spokane Apr. 9-11 and own a 6-3 record against ranked teams.

WIEGAND BECOMES LATEST ZAG TO EARN WCC ACCOLADE: Ryan Wiegand became the latest Bulldog to earn West Coast Conference/Rawlings Player of the Week the conference announced Monday. Wiegand earns the Bulldogs seventh WCC weekly accolade of the season and shares this week's award with Sean Nicol of University of San Diego. It is the third career WCC weekly accolade and the first of the season for Wiegand who posted multiple hits in all four games last week. The San Diego, Calif. native finished the week 10-for-17 (.588) with six runs scored, 10 RBI, two doubles, one grand slam, a .882 slugging percentage and a .682 on-base percentage. Wiegand opened the week with a grand slam against the University of Arizona and then went 8-for-13 with six RBI in the series sweep at the University of Santa Clara. He capped the weekend with a 4-for-4 four RBI performance and also reached base in all six of his plate appearances in Sunday's series finale.

ABOUT SAINT MARY'S: Saint Mary's College enters the weekend with a 26-21 overall record and 7-8 in West Coast Conference play. SMC split its two midweek games, dropping a game to San Jose State University Tuesday but beat #16 Cal Poly University Wednesday night. Gonzaga University leads the all-time series 35-21 over the Gaels and has won four of the last six meetings. Troy Channing enters the weekend leading the WCC in all three triple crown categories, hitting (.395), home runs (19) and RBI (69). Head coach Jedd Soto is in his sixth season at SMC and owns a 133-172-2 record at the school.

FRIDAY NIGHT FIELDS: Senior right-handed starting pitcher Matt Fields had won his last five starts to own a 5-1 record before receiving a no-decision in his past two starts against the University of Portland and Santa Clara University. Earlier this season, he struck out seven over 7.2 innings in the win over #21 University of San Diego Apr. 9 and allowed just one run in a career-high eight innings at #26 Pepperdine University Apr. 3. Against the University of Nevada Feb. 20 he struck out a season-high eight. Fields has pitched in every Friday game so far this season and leads the Zags in strikeouts (55) and is second in innings (63.2). He is a perfect 3-0 in WCC play and his overall 3.11 ERA is second in the West Coast Conference. The 2008 All-WCC honorable mention selection posted a team-best eight wins and finished with 3-1 record as the Friday starter last season.

VAN WINKLE LEADING THE WAY: Gonzaga University junior catcher Tyson Van Winkle has continued to swing a hot bat for the Zags, posting one of the best offensive weeks in the country two weeks ago. Last weekend, the Vancouver, Wash. native posted back-to-back three hit games on Saturday and Sunday including a go-ahead solo home run in the 11th inning on Saturday. He has started every game behind the plate and comes into the weekend leading the WCC in doubles (20), fourth in the hitting (.382), hits (66) and fifth in RBI (41). He leads the Zags in slugging (.566) and in hitting in WCC games only (.419). He is also tied for third on the team with four home runs.

WIEGAND SLAMMING HIS WAY TO TOP OF RECORD BOOKS: Gonzaga University senior first baseman Ryan Wiegand became Gonzaga's all-time leader in RBI and doubles two weeks ago and enters this weekend needing just three hits to become Gonzaga's all-time leader in hits. The San Diego native passed Jeff Hainline's career top RBI mark of 186 and Jerrod Wong's top doubles mark of 60 with his double and two RBI at the University of Portland Apr. 18. Last week Wiegand also launched his third career grand slam and the second in seven days. He has recorded 16 doubles and driven in a team-high 45 runs this season, giving him 62 career doubles and 197 career RBI. Earlier this season Wiegand moved into the school's top-10 career hit list and continued his climb throughout the season. His 53 hits this season place him second with 267 career base-hits and trails Eric Rodland's top mark of 269. He also enters the week tied for third in all-time at-bats (786), sixth in walks (107) and tied for seventh in games played (201).

DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO: Senior lead-off hitter Evan Wells and junior centerfielder Drew Heid have continued to be the sparks atop the Gonzaga University lineup. Wells has scored multiple runs in a game 13 times this season including matching his career-high with four runs scored against University of Utah Mar. 24. He enters the weekend second in the West Coast Conference in walks (30), fourth in runs scored (45) and fifth in stolen bases (11-for-13). The 2008 All-WCC Honorable Mention selection is also second on the club in on-base percentage (.450). Heid meanwhile is second on the team in hits (60), third in hitting (.333) and is second in the WCC with six triples. The 2008 All-WCC selection from a year ago has also scored 32 runs, driven in 28 and stolen seven bases while hitting out of the two-hole this season.

SENIOR STEPPING UP: Gonzaga University senior pitcher A.J. Proszek started the season working out of the bullpen, allowing just four runs in eight appearances before stepping into a starting role at the University of Portland Apr. 18. He fired seven scoreless innings against the Pilots in his first start of the season, scattering four hits and striking out five before eventually earning a no-decision. Proszek owns a team-best 2.51 ERA, a 1-0 record and tied for the team lead with three saves.

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 their first collegiate seasons. Ortiz produced a team-best 12-game hitting streak to start the season and enters the weekend third on the team in doubles (12). His two-out two-run double brought home the go-ahead runs in the Apr. 11 4-2 win over #21 University of San Diego. Carpenter has been one of the most impressive freshman pitchers in the country through is first nine collegiate starts. He earned his fifth win of the season Apr. 17 with four scoreless innings of relief against the University of Portland. 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 weekend leading the team in strikeouts (54), tied for second in wins (5) and third in innings (55.0).

MARTIN NAMED TO NCBWA MIDSEASON STOPPER WATCH LIST: Gonzaga University sophomore pitcher Cody Martin has been named to the 2009 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Mid-season Stopper of the Year Watch List. Forty-five players have been named to the 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. 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.

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.