Gonzaga University
Utah Valley
Castellitto's Three-Homer Night Paces Zags Big Win
3/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 25, 2010
OREM, Utah. - Mark Castellitto slugged three home runs and drove in seven runs to lead Gonzaga University's offensive explosion in a 23-12 win over Utah Valley University Thursday evening. The 23 runs are the most runs scored by the Zags since a 22-4 win over Chicago State University at the Banana Belt Classic on Mar. 4, 2006. Gonzaga scored runs in every inning but the second and ninth and used an eight-run third and six-run fifth to pick up the series-opening win over the Wolverines (6-9).
The Bulldogs (9-12) recorded season-highs in runs and hits with their 21-hit performance to put an end to a five-game losing skid. Seven Zags recorded at least two hits with Castellitto leading the way with a career-high five hits and five runs scored while Chris Sturdivant, Sean Wilson and Cameron Edman each posted three-hit games. Andy Hunter reached base five times and scored four runs.
Castellitto gave the Bulldogs an early 3-0 lead with his three-run homer in the first inning. Sturdivant had reached on an error with one out and Andy Hunter followed with a walk. Castellitto then stepped in and hammered the first pitch he saw deep over the left centerfield fence for his first big fly of the game.
Two innings later the Zags used eight hits to bring the eight runs across in the third. Drew Heid started the inning with a solo homer to right field. Later in the inning, Royce Bolinger had a two-run double, Clayton Eslick had an RBI single and Wilson added a two-run single before Sturdivant capped the scoring with his second hit of the inning, a two-run double to right to make it an 11-1 game.
Edman's solo home run in the fourth made it a 12-1 lead before the Zags put the game out of reach with a six-run fifth inning. Hunter drove home the frame's first two runs on a double and Castellitto followed with his second long ball of the night, a two-run shot to right field. Eslick and Wilson later picked up two-out RBI singles to push the GU lead to 18-6.
Castellitto put the finishing touches on his career night with another two-run shot to right field in the sixth inning, opening up a 20-6 advantage. Utah Valley had tried to chip away in the middle innings with three in the fourth, two in fifth and three more in the sixth but Zags offense continued to produce. A two-out RBI double by Sturdivant in the seventh and a two more runs came across in the eighth to push the Zags lead to 23-9. The Wolverines added three runs in the eighth before Bulldogs reliever Liam Baron retired the final three hitters he faced in the ninth and preserve the 23-12 win.
Gonzaga starter Cody Martin (2-2) picked up the win after striking out five over five innings. Liam Baron benefitted from the official scoring rule by pitching more than three innings to preserve the win; firing four frames to earn his second career save. UVU starter Zach Gray took the loss after allowing 10 earned runs in 2.2 innings.
The Zags continue their series with the Wolverines 5 p.m. Friday.
