April 5, 2009

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - Gonzaga University dropped a 5-4 decision to #26 Pepperdine University in Sunday afternoon's series finale in Malibu, Calif. The Bulldogs (20-8, 4-2 WCC) took two of the three games from the Waves (17-13, 1-5 WCC) over the weekend.

Senior first baseman Ryan Wiegand and junior catcher Tyson Van Winkle paced the Gonzaga offense with 2-for-4 efforts. Senior right fielder Anthony Synegal launched his second home run of the season for the Zags who won their fourth consecutive series this season including the second straight over a West Coast Conference opponent.

The Bulldogs were the first to bring a run across as Synegal's solo shot over the left centerfield fence in the second inning gave the Zags a 1-0 lead.

In the third inning, Gonzaga junior starting pitcher Steven Ames ran into some trouble as the Waves used small ball to jump start the inning. After allowing a lead-off single, the next two Pepperdine hitters reached on bunt singles to load the bases. Nate Simon came through for the Waves with a two-run single down the right field line to make it 2-1. The third run of the inning then came across on a wild pitch to add to the Pepperdine lead, 3-1.

Both teams traded runs in the fourth inning as senior designated hitter Grant Kveder's RBI ground out brought home junior left fielder Mark Castellitto for the Zags. Pepperdine answered though, as a Brian Humphries RBI single again made it a two-run game, 4-2.

Gonzaga continued to battle back though, scoring two runs in the fifth inning to tie the game at 4-4. Castellitto's RBI ground out scored the first run of the inning then Wiegand's two-out base-hit through the right side of the infield brought senior second baseman Evan Wells home.

Ames returned to form after the bumpy third and fourth innings, holding the Waves scoreless for the next three innings. Pepperdine then made their move in the eighth inning, avoiding the series sweep by scoring the go-ahead run with two outs in the eighth off of Bulldog sophomore reliever Cody Martin. Martin struck out the first to hitters he faced to start the inning but then allowed a two-out walk followed by a wild pitch to put the Pepperdine base runner into scoring position at second base. Ryan Heroy then came through for the Waves with RBI single to right center to put Pepperdine up 5-4.

Martin (3-2) took the loss after allowing the Pepperdine run to cross in eighth. He did strike out three in his only inning of work. Ames received the no-decision, allowing four runs on nine hits and striking out three in seven innings.

The Bulldogs will host the University of Washington for a two-game series beginning Monday at 6:30 p.m. before closing out the season series with the Huskies at Noon Tuesday.