Gonzaga University
Utah Valley
Stumetz and Olson Pitch Well To Give Zags Series Win
3/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 27, 2010
OREM, Utah. - Gonzaga University used another big day from Mark Castellitto and some impressive pitching performances by Jeremy Stumetz and Tyler Olson to earn a 8-3 victory over Utah Valley University Saturday.
The Bulldogs (10-13) clinched the three-game series with the Wolverines (7-10) despite recording only five hits. Castellitto made the most of his one knock on the day, launching a three-run homer to put the game out of reach in the eighth inning. Chris Sturdivant reached base four times and scored three times while Stumetz limited the UVU offense to just three runs and seven hits over five innings to pick up the win.
Gonzaga opened the game with two runs in the first as Castellitto and Cameron Edman each drove home a run with a sacrifice fly for an early 2-0 lead. An inning later, Sturdivant's infield single brought home Drew Heid to push the Zags lead to 3-0.
The Bulldogs made it 4-1 in the fourth on a Wolverine throwing error that allowed a run to come across. Stumetz was cruising through the early innings, surrendering just a third inning solo homer before running into trouble in the sixth. Three straight UVU hits led to one run and one more single scored another run before Olson entered the game and escaped the jam with a pair of strikeouts to keep it a 5-3 ball game.
Olson then worked around two hits to pitch a scoreless seventh before Castellitto put the game away in the eighth with his team-leading eighth home run of the season and fourth of the series. Sturdivant earned a one-out walk and Andy Hunter was then hit by a pitch to put two on for the senior leftfielder. Castellitto stepped in and drove a 1-2 pitch over the centerfield fence to push the GU lead to 8-3.
Gonzaga would hold on to the lead as Olson retired UVU in order to in the ninth and finished with six strikeouts in four innings to post his first career save. Stumetz improved to 2-1 on the season after striking out three in five innings.
Next up for the Bulldogs is a matchup against Washington State University 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. Tuesday's game will be the first of five games set to be broadcast on SWX-TV this season and will also be the first game available on radio as fans can listen to Tom Hudson and former Gonzaga coach Steve Hertz call the action on 1510 AM.
