Gonzaga University
Notre Dame
Gonzaga Wins Five Straight With Sweep Of Doubleheader
3/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 19, 2011
Box Score (Notre Dame)
Box Score (Iowa)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The Gonzaga University Baseball team took two games in its second day in the Irish Baseball Classic Saturday. The Bulldogs (10-7) beat the University of Notre Dame 4-1 and the University of Iowa 7-2 despite being out-hit in both games.
Marco Gonzales (2-2) highlighted game one by becoming the first Bulldog freshman to pitch a complete game since senior Cody Martin in 2008. Gonzales struck out seven, walked one and allowed one run on six hits.
The Fighting Irish (7-10) held the Bulldogs to five hits. Clayton Eslick registered two hits while Billy Moon, Royce Bolinger and Steven Halcomb each drove in a run.
The Bulldogs saw themselves trailing in the first inning when Gonzales allowed a leadoff single and after two sacrifice bunts, the Fighting Irish got on board with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the third inning with one out, Halcomb reached on a fielding error and Moon hit a two-out RBI single to center field to tie the game.
The Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning when Eslick led off with a double and after Maxx Garrett moved Eslick to third with a sacrifice bunt, Bolinger hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score in the eventual game-winning run.
Another costly error by Notre Dame in the ninth gave Gonzaga two insurance runs. With two outs and runners at first and second, Halcomb hit into a fielding error by the left fielder to allow the two runs.
In game two the Hawkeyes (7-10) had a 12-11 hitting advantage but they couldn't stop the Bulldogs offensive explosion in the first-three innings. Moon led off the bottom of the first with a single to left field and scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Eslick. In the second inning, Moon hit bases loaded two-run single to right field, Eric Lane followed with a RBI ground out to the first baseman and Eslick made it 5-1 with a RBI single to left center.
Gonzales, who played at first base in game two, led off the third with a double down the left field line and scored on a fielding error by the shortstop hit by Alex Stanford. With two out and the bases loaded, the Hawkeyes walked Lane to score in Gonzaga's seventh run.
Tyler Olson (2-0) pitched eight shutout innings and allowed eight hits, eight strikeouts and two walks. Kenny Smith and Aaron Brooks each allowed a run in one inning pitched.
The Bulldogs wrap up their season-opening 18-game road stretch against the Fighting Irish Sunday at 9 a.m. PT. Andy Hunter will make his first start of the season.
