May 14, 2009
Complete Series Release in PDF Format 
Games 47-49
Loyola Marymount
(29-25, 12-6 WCC)
vs.
Gonzaga
(30-15, 12-6 WCC)
Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field
Gametracker Available
Radio - 1510 AM
Free Video Streaming Available
Probable Bulldog Lineup
Position Player (Yr., B/T) 2009 Stats
Catcher Tyson Van Winkle (Jr., R/R) .376, 71 H, 22 2B, 4 HR, 49 RBI
First Base Ryan Wiegand (Sr., L/R) .323, 36 R, 19 2B, 3 HR, 51 RBI, 1 SB
Second Base Evan Wells (Sr., L/R) .311, 49 R, 7 2B, 2 3B, 22 RBI, 11 SB
Shortstop Ernesto Ortiz (Fr., L/R) .265, 14 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 1 SB
Third Base Jason Chatwood (Sr., R/R) .227, 3 2B, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 5 SB
Left Field Mark Castellitto (Jr., R/R) .263, 7 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 3 SB
Centerfield Drew Heid (Jr., L/R) .335, 5 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 32 RBI, 7 SB
Right Field Anthony Synegal (Sr., R/R) .324, 7 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 3 SB
Designated Hitter Grant Kveder (Sr., L/R) .197, 15-for-73, 11 R, 1 2B, 8 RBI, 2 SB
THIS WEEKEND: This weekend Gonzaga University hosts Loyola Marymount University for a critical three-game West Coast Conference series that will decide the WCC regular season champion. The winner of the series will also host next weekend's WCC Championship Series where an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament will be on the line.
WCC SCENARIOS: The winner of this weekend's series between Gonzaga University and Loyola Marymount University will host the West Coast Conference Championship Series next weekend. The University of San Francisco and Pepperdine University both need to sweep their three-game series this weekend and hope that either Gonzaga or LMU record a series sweep in order to move into second place and a spot into the WCC Championship series.
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. Gonzaga's four 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 the weekend series with Loyola Marymount University, Gonzaga University will close out the regular season with a home game against Washington State University Tuesday night.
EARLIER THIS WEEK: Gonzaga University dropped an 8-1 decision to No. 25 Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore. on Tuesday and later had its Wednesday afternoon contest rained out.
BULLDOGS BACK TO RECEIVING VOTES: After earning its first national ranking since the 2006 earlier this season, appearing in the Apr. 13 Baseball America poll at No. 22, Gonzaga University continues to receive votes in this week's ESPN/USA Today and NCBWA national poll, marking the eighth 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 No. 26 Pepperdine Apr. 3-5 and also against No. 21 University of San Diego in Spokane Apr. 9-11. Earlier this season the Zags beat then No. 10 ranked University of Missouri and own a 6-3 record against ranked teams.
ZAGS POST THIRD STRAIGHT 30-WIN SEASON: Gonzaga University's 6-4 win over Saint Mary's College May 3 was its 30th win of the season, marking the Bulldogs third consecutive 30-win season. It is the first time that Gonzaga has accomplished the feat since the 1980-82 teams each recorded at least 30 wins.
VAN WINKLE NAMED WCC APRIL PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Gonzaga University junior catcher Tyson Van Winkle was named the West Coast Conference/Rawlings April Player of the Month. He finished the month 33-for-67 (.493) at the plate to lead all hitters in the WCC, he also recorded seven doubles, two home runs, drove in 20 runs while slugging .687 and posting a .551 on-base percentage. He recorded hits in 13 of Gonzaga's 16 games including 12 multi-hit games. One stretch saw the Vancouver, Wash. native record hits in eight straight at-bats while producing a five-hit game and a four-hit game in consecutive games. He also took home one WCC Player of the Week award in the month.
ABOUT THE LOYOLA MARYMOUNT LIONS: Loyola Marymount University comes into the final weekend of West Coast Conference play with a 29-25 overall record, a 12-6 mark in the WCC and tied with Gonzaga University for first place in the conference standings. LMU leads the all-time series with the Zags 30-22 but GU has won five of the last six meetings including a three-game sweep the last time the two teams met in Spokane in 2007. Outfielder Angelo Songco leads the Lions in hitting (.383), home runs (15) and in RBI (63). Jason Gill is in his first season as head coach for LMU.
FRIDAY NIGHT FIELDS: Senior right-handed starting pitcher Matt Fields owns a 6-1 record including a 4-0 mark in West Coast Conference. Fields has picked up two WCC Pitcher of the Week awards this season after posting wins over #26 Pepperdine Apr. 3 and after his first career complete-game shutout against Saint Mary's College May 1. He has matched his career-high of eight strikeouts three times this season, (Nevada - 2/20, Pepperdine - 4/3 and 5/1). He enters the week with WCC's best ERA (2.72) and leading the Zags in ERA and strikeouts (63) and is second in innings (72.2). 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, currently leading the team in hitting (.376), hits (71), doubles (22) and slugging (.556). He is also second on the team with RBI (49) and is third with four home runs. He has started every game behind the plate and comes into the week leading the WCC in doubles and third in hitting. Van Winkle has claimed two WCC Player of the Week awards as well as an WCC April Player of the Month award this season.
WIEGAND SITS ATOP THE RECORD BOOKS: Gonzaga University senior first baseman Ryan Wiegand became Gonzaga's all-time hits leader May 1 against Saint Mary's College. He picked up three hits in the series-opener to pass Eric Rodland's top mark of 269. Earlier this season, Wiegand became the school's all-time leader in RBI and doubles. 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. This season he has driven in a team-high 51 RBI, the second straight season he has recorded 50+ RBI, and is second on the team with 19 doubles. He also enters the week third all-time in at-bats (799), sixth in walks (107) and tied for sixth in games played (204). He also riding an 11-game hitting-steak, the second longest for a Bulldog this season.
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 14 times this season including matching his career-high with four runs scored against University of Utah Mar. 24. He enters the week third in the West Coast Conference in walks (30), fourth in runs scored (45) and seventh in stolen bases (11-for-13). The 2008 All-WCC Honorable Mention selection also leads the club in on-base percentage (.455). Heid meanwhile is second on the team in hits (66) and in hitting (.335) and is second in the WCC with six triples. The 2008 All-WCC selection from a year ago has also scored 36 runs, driven in 32 and stolen seven bases while hitting out of the two-hole this season.
PROSZEK PRODUCING IN BOTH ROLES: Gonzaga University senior pitcher A.J. Proszek had an impressive season both out of the bullpen and in a starting role for the Zags this season. 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 has gone seven innings in his two starts this season earning a no-decision at Portland before earning the series-clinching win over Saint Mary's College May 3. Proszek owns the team's second-best ERA (2.75) along with a 2-0 record and three saves.
SYNEGAL STEPPING UP: Senior outfielder/designated hitter Anthony Synegal has made the most of his final season with the Zags. The Hollister, Calif. native has been the quiet assassin in the Bulldogs potent offense, producing a team second-best six home runs along with 31 RBI and a .510 slugging percentage. All six of his homers have come in West Coast Conference play, good for second in the WCC. Earlier this season he produced an eight-game hitting streak and the only multi-home run game for the Zags this season (Apr. 17 at Portland).
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 has produced a team-best 12-game hitting streak to start the season and enters the week third on the team in doubles (14). 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 third on the team in strikeouts (58), wins (5) and in innings (58.0).
WELLS AWARDED ESPN ACADEMIC HONOR: Gonzaga University senior second baseman Evan Wells has been named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII First Team. Wells is now eligible to earn Academic All-America honors. The Bulldogs lead-off hitter the past three seasons owns a 3.90 GPA and is among the leaders in the West Coast Conference in walks, on-base percentage and runs scored. Wells is a soon to be three-time WCC All-Academic selection and is set to graduate this May with a degree in journalism.
WIEGAND AND FIELDS EARN WCC ACCOLADES: Matt Fields and Ryan Wiegand were named the West Coast Conference/Rawlings Pitcher and Co-Player of the Week, respectively, Apr. 27. It was the fifth consecutive week that at least one Bulldog has received a WCC weekly accolade. So far this season the Zags have earned a WCC weekly award nine times, tops in the conference. Fields picked up his second Pitcher of the Week award of the season after firing his first career complete-game shutout to lead the Bulldogs to a 5-0 win over Saint Mary's College May 1. The Lake Stevens, Wash. native held a potent SMC lineup to just five singles while striking out eight. Wiegand is was named Co-Player of the Week for the second consecutive week after going 7-for-13 (.538) with three doubles, six RBI, slugging .769 and becoming Gonzaga's all-time hits leader during the week.
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.
