May 17, 2009
Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. - Gonzaga University dropped its series finale 4-2 to Loyola Marymount University at the Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field Sunday afternoon. With the win LMU clinched a spot in next weekend's West Coast Conference Championship Series which will be hosted by the Bulldogs beginning Friday.
LMU (30-27, 13-8 WCC) picked up the win with two runs in the eighth inning on a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly. Drew Heid led the way for the Zags (32-16, 14-6 WCC) with a three hits and two RBI.
The Lions took an early 2-0 lead with two runs off of Gonzaga starter AJ Proszek. RBI base-hits by Ollie Enos and T.J. Bernardy highlighted the four-hit opening frame for LMU.
Gonzaga was able to get one of the runs back though as Wells and Heid led off the Zags first inning with back-to-back doubles. Heid's looping double down the left field line scored Wells from second for the Zags first run.
Both starting pitchers eventually settled in after tough opening innings, keeping the score at 2-1 for the next five-plus innings. In the seventh, Heid tied the game at 2-2 with his second RBI extra-base hit of the afternoon. Wells got things going with two outs, reaching after getting hit by a pitch before Heid came to plate and a lined shot into the right centerfield gap that went all the way to the wall. Wells scored easily from first and Heid raced around to third for his team-leading seventh triple. Heid's hit chased LMU starting pitcher Ramiro Carreon and the Lions went to their top reliever in Chris Eusebio who came in and got Tyson Van Winkle to ground out to shortstop to strand Heid at third.
LMU took the lead with two runs in the eighth as two hits and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out in the inning. Proszek got Bernardy to ground a ball to Jason Chatwood at third base who fired home to record the force out. Gonzaga then called in left-handed reliever Reedy Berg from the bullpen to face the left-handed hitting Ryan Hawthorn. Hawthorne received a bases-loaded walk to score the first run of the inning and the next Lion batter brought home the second run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 4-2.
The Zags made a run at a comeback in their half of the eighth as Wiegand led off the inning with an opposite field double to left center and Anthony Synegal was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with nobody out. LMU went to the bullpen once again, calling in Lee Roberts who had thrown eight innings in the series-opener on Friday. Roberts went on to hold the Zags scoreless with consecutive strikeouts and getting out of the inning on Jason Chatwood's fielder's choice ground out to shortstop and leave the tying runs on base.
Roberts then held the Zags scoreless in the ninth to preserve the win for the Lions and avoid the sweep. Proszek suffered the loss despite throwing very well, allowing four earned runs in 7.1 innings and making some big time pitches when the Zags needed him the most.
Gonzaga will wrap up its regular season with a non-conference game against Washington State University 6:30 p.m. Tuesday night in Spokane.
Note: Game times and ticket prices for next weekend's WCC Championship Series between LMU and Gonzaga hosted by the Bulldogs, will be announced Monday with tickets going on sale 10 a.m. Tuesday. Visit www.gozags.com for more information.
