May 26, 2011
Complete Release in PDF Format
Game 50: May 27 - vs. San Francisco - Patterson Baseball Complex & Washington Trust Field - 6 p.m.
Game 51: May 28 - vs. San Francisco - Patterson Baseball Complex & Washington Trust Field - 1 p.m.
Game 52: May 29 - vs. San Francisco - Patterson Baseball Complex & Washington Trust Field - 1 p.m.
All Times Pacific Time Zone and Subject to Change
TV: SWX (Game 50)
Radio: Sports Talk 1510 KGA (Games 50, 51, 52)
Gametracker Available
Gonzaga University Bulldogs (31-17-1, 14-4 West Coast)
Probable Rotation
LHP - 22 Ryan Carpenter, 6-5, 225, Jr., Peoria, AZ
(8-1, 2.51 ERA, 89.2 IP, 100 K)
LHP - 7 Marco Gonzales, 6-1, 185, Fr., Fort Collins, CO
(10-2, 2.34 ERA, 96.1 IP, 78 K)
Game 52 Starter TBA
(0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.0 IP, 0 K)
Head Coach: Mark Machtolf (Stanford University, 1987)
Gonzaga Record: 231-196-1 (8 years - 22 at GU) Career Record: Same
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University of San Francisco Dons (29-22, 14-4 West Coast)
All-time series versus Gonzaga: San Francisco leads 32-31
Probable Rotation
RHP - 10 Kyle Zimmer, 6-3, 210, So., La Jolla, CA
(4-4, 4.40 ERA, 73.2 IP, 74 K)
RHP - 14 Matt Hiserman, 5-10, 180, Sr., Mission Viejo, CA
(6-3, 3.92 ERA, 78.0 IP, 59 K)
Game 52 Starter TBA
(0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.0 IP, 0 K)
Head Coach: Nino Giarratano (William Jewel College, 1985)
San Francisco Record: 337-345 (12 years) Career Record: 647-527 (20 Years)
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WHAT A COINCIDENCE: Although this weekend series between Gonzaga University and the University of San Francisco is not the official West Coast Conference Championship Series, which was discontinued following the 2009 season, it is coincident that these two first place teams will go head-to-head for the championship in the regular-season finale. This series is part of the WCC's regular-season schedule but like the WCC Championship Series, the team who wins two games this weekend will be declared the champion and receive the conference's ticket to the NCAA Baseball Championships starting next weekend.
SENIOR FAREWELL: As the 2011 regular-season approaches the final weekend, six Gonzaga University seniors will their final home games this weekend. Prior to Sunday's contest, the Bulldogs will recognize seniors Keegan Acker (Majoring in Sports Management), Tyler Chism (Sports Management), Cameron Edman (M.A. in Organizational Leadership), Cody Martin (Physical Education), Mark Phillips (Sports Management) and Chris Sturdivant (Business Marketing). Although he redshirted as a freshman, Sturdivant has one year of eligibility remaining but elected not to use it as he pursues a master's degree.
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS LIVE: Fans can follow all Gonzaga University home games and selected away games via Gametracker on the Internet at http://www.gozags.com. Fans can also follow all the Bulldogs home games on Sports Talk 1510 KGA with Tom Hudson calling the action with color commentary provided by former Gonzaga outfielder and current assistant athletic director Jared Hertz (1999-2001) Friday and former Gonzaga head coach and current associate athletic director Steve Hertz Saturday and Sunday.
THE BULLDOGS ARE ON SWX: Friday's contest between Gonzaga University and the University of San Francisco will be televised on SWX. In the broadcast booth will be Sam Adams and former Gonzaga University head coach and current associate athletic director Steve Hertz.
SCOUTING THE DONS: The University of San Francisco took the field for the first time in nearly a week Tuesday. The Dons posted a 3-1 win over Cal State Bakersfield in their home finale. Pete Lavin, who has started all 51 games, paces the ballclub in batting average (.362), doubles (17) and triples (4). Stephen Yarrow has driven in the most runs on the team at 35. Matt Hiserman has been the Dons top starter, posting a 6-3 record with a 3.87 earned-run average. Kyle Zimmer paces the Dons pitching staff with 76 strikeouts.
LAST TIME VERSUS THE DONS: Gonzaga University and the University of San Francisco met last season in the City by the Bay. The Zags took game one 3-2 and the Dons took the first game of a doubleheader 20-9. The series got complicated when darkness suspended the nightcap with a 2-2 tie prior to the start of the 13th inning. The Zags were scheduled to play at Saint Mary's College one month later so before taking on Gaels, they made a quick trip to San Francisco to resume the rubber match. The Bulldogs scored four runs in the top of the 13th to beat the Dons 6-2.
ANOTHER 30-WIN SEASON: When the 2011 season got underway in February, Gonzaga University lost the first five games but after posting a 6-3 win at then-eighth ranked Texas A&M University, Mark Machtolf's ballclub made a huge turnaround to post its fourth 30-win season in five years. An interesting note is that the last time the Zags started the season 0-5 was in 2007, the first of the four 30-win seasons.
EDMAN AN ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA SELECTION: Gonzaga University redshirt senior catcher Cameron Edman was named to the Capital One Academic All-America third team, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America Tuesday. Edman, who has a bachelor's degree in applied communication studies and is pursuing a master's degree in organizational leadership, owns a 3.62 undergraduate cumulative grade-point average and a 3.92 graduate GPA. The native of Florence, Mont., became eligible for Academic All-America after being selected All-District 8 first team earlier this month. Nominations and voting for the Capital One Academic All-District Teams are conducted by members of CoSIDA. To be eligible, student-athletes must be a starter or an important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA - on a 4.0 scale - at his or her current institution. Nominees in graduate school must have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better both as an undergrad and in grad school. Nominated athletes also must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games at the position.
WCC COACHES' PRESEASON POLL INACCURATE: The current West Coast Conference standings is not exactly what the coaches predicted when they submitted their preseason poll February. Gonzaga University and the University of San Francisco, who were picked to finish sixth and third in the standings, respectively, are the top two teams in the conference. Defending champion University of San Diego, who was the favorite to repeat in the poll, is in third place. The coaches are correct with the University of Portland and Loyola Marymount University as they sit fourth and fifth, respectively, while Saint Mary's College (eighth), Pepperdine University (second) and Santa Clara University (seventh) make up the rest of the standings.
BULLDOGS SETTING SINGLE SEASON RECORDS: There are several Gonzaga University players rewriting the single-season record lists. Senior pitcher Cody Martin broke his own saves record with 11 this season. He set nine as a freshman. Junior southpaw Ryan Carpenter sits in a tie for seventh in the strikeout list with 100. It is the first time a Bulldog entered the strikeout list since former Zag and current Colorado Rockies starter Clayton Mortensen did it in 2007. The current major league rookie struck out 122 that year to place him in a tie for third on the list. Redshirt senior catcher Cameron Edman's 22 doubles places him in a tie for third in that column.
MARCO CAN DO IT ALL: Freshman Marco Gonzales is making life as a two-way player look easy. As a pitcher, the reigning West Coast Conference/Rawlings Pitcher of the Week leads the conference in wins (10) and among starters he has the best earned-run average (2.34). His 78 strikeouts are second-most behind teammate and fellow southpaw Ryan Carpenter's 100. As a first baseman he has committed only one error, which was his collegiate debut in game one of a doubleheader on opening day against Oregon State University. Offensively, Gonzales is hitting .291 (30-for-103) with 10 doubles and 14 RBIs.
THESE BULLDOGS CAN HIT: Gonzaga University has been very productive with its bats this season. The Bulldogs are second in batting average (.279), slugging percentage (.390), on-base percentage (.353), runs scored (258), RBI (222), doubles (99). Gonzaga is also third in triples (9) and home runs (23). Individually, redshirt senior Cameron Edman leads the league in slugging percentage (.643) and is tied for the most doubles (22) and home runs (9). Sophomore outfielder Billy Moon is third in RBIs (41) and Eric Lane is third for most runs scored (38).
PITCHERS LEADING THE WAY: Gonzaga University's pitching staff has been one of the best in the West Coast Conference throughout the season. The Bulldogs enter the weekend with the best earned-run average (3.14) in the league and is second in opposing batting average (.245) and strikeouts (386). The Bulldogs have also allowed the fewest hits (391), doubles (65) and runs, both earned (152) and unearned (187), in the conference. Of those strikeouts, left-handers Ryan Carpenter (100) and Marco Gonzales (78) own the top two spots the individual category, respectively. Senior right-hander Cody Martin owns the best earned-run average (0.91 in 49 1/3 innings) and has the most saves (11).
CODY'S NOT KIDDING AROUND: Since coming off his first loss of the season to Saint Mary's College April 23, Gonzaga University senior pitcher Cody Martin has been lights out. In the last seven appearances following the loss, Martin has allowed one run on two hits and four walks in 11 1/3 innings. In addition to striking out 11, opponents are hitting .059 off him. In the last seven games he retired 26 of the last 29 batters. At one point during the stretch he retired 15 straight batters. He has also shut the door in the ninth inning in order five times.
ZAGS REWRITING CAREER RECORDS: Senior Cody Martin and junior Ryan Carpenter have been rewriting Gonzaga University's career record book this season. Martin made his 86th appearance Sunday at Pepperdine University, the second-most in that category. He is two shy from trying Brandon Harmon (2005-08) for the record. He has also punched 268 strikeouts, passing current Bulldogs assistant coach Steve Bennett's (1996-2000) 260 for third-most in a career. Mike Davey (1972-74) is second on the list with 312 while Billy Walker (1987-90) holds the record with 332. Carpenter joined Martin as the only active Zags on the list earlier this month. His 222 career strikeouts place him ninth all-time.
MARTIN ON NCWBA'S WATCH LIST: Gonzaga University senior pitcher Cody Martin was named to the midseason watch list for the seventh annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball, as announced by the association April 21. Martin is one of 45 relief pitchers in NCAA Division I to be named on the watch list. He was previously included on the watch list as a sophomore and was selected NCBWA Freshman All-America second team. He owns a 0.95 earned-run average with a 2-1 record and seven saves in 16 appearances. He has posted 49 strikeouts in 38 innings.
CAREER DAY FOR Cameron Edman: Redshirt senior catcher Cameron Edman played perhaps the best game of his career at Gonzaga University at Brigham Young University May 1. Along with going 5-for-5 against the incoming West Coast Conference foes, Edman hit three home runs to become the third Bulldog in three consecutive seasons to record three in a game - Mark Castellitto did it at Utah Valley University March 25, 2010 and Ryan Wiegand did it in the WCC Series against Loyola Marymount University May 23, 2009. Edman also registered a double and a single but was a triple short from the cycle.
CARPENTER SELECTED TO ALL-WCC PRESEASON TEAM: Junior left-handed pitcher Ryan Carpenter was Gonzaga University's lone selection to the Preseason All-West Coast Conference team. Carpenter started all 12 appearances last season, second-most out of the rotation. He led the Zag starters in earned-run average (5.67), opposing batting average (.273) and allowed the fewest earned runs (38) and home runs (2). He finished second behind senior right-hander Cody Martin in strikeouts with 53.
