Game 27: April 4 - at San Diego - Cunningham Baseball Stadium - San Diego, CA - 3 p.m.
Game 28: April 5 - at San Diego - Cunningham Baseball Stadium - San Diego, CA - 3 p.m.
Game 29: April 6 - at San Diego - Cunningham Baseball Stadium - San Diego, CA - 1 p.m.
All times Pacific Time Zone and subject to change
Gametracker Available
Visit GoZags.com for audio/video availability
Gonzaga University Bulldogs (19-7, 2-1 West Coast)
Probable Pitching Rotation
LHP - 13 Tyler Olson, R-L, 6-3, 190, Sr., Spokane, WA
(3-0, 2.22 ERA)
RHP - 26 Andy Hunter, R-R, 6-6, 220, Sr., Tucson, WA
(2-1, 3.23 ERA)
LHP - 11 Billy Moon, L-L, 6-0, 185, Jr., Spokane, WA
(3-1, 2.32 ERA)
Probable Position Starters
C - 18 Maxx Garrett, R-R, 6-1, 215, Sr., Kennewick, WA
(.241, 10 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 13 RBI)
1B - 26 Andy Hunter, R-R, 6-6, 220, Sr., Tucson, AZ
(.367, 12 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI)
2B - Alex Stanford, L-R, 5-10, 180, Sr., Bothell, WA
(.280, 15 R, 3 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 2 SB)
3B - 6 Eric Lane, R-R, 6-0, 190, Sr., Port Angeles, WA
(.322, 21 R, 6 2B, 12 RBI)
SS - 4 Steven Halcomb, R-R, 5-10, 165, Jr., Poway, CA
(.269, 15 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 3 SB)
LF - 11 Billy Moon, L-L, 6-0, 185, Jr., Spokane, WA
(.215, 8 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 1 SB)
CF - 21 Royce Bolinger, R-R, 6-2, 200, Sr., Scottsdale, AZ
(.393, 23 R, 4 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 24 RBI)
RF - 3 Payden Cawley Lamb, L-R, 5-10, 185, So., Buckley, WA
(.268, 6 R, 1 2B, 5 RBI, 1 SB)
DH - 5 Clayton Eslick, L-R, 5-11, 170, Jr., Gilroy, CA
(.368, 15 R, 4 2B, 2 3B, 14 RBI)
Head Coach: 28 Mark Machtolf (Stanford University, 1987)
Gonzaga Record: 251-205-1 (9th year - 22nd at GU) Career Record: Same
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No. 19/21/25/28 University of San Diego Toreros (23-7, 5-1 West Coast)
All-time series versus Gonzaga: San Diego leads 37-28-1
Probable Pitching Rotation
RHP - 22 Calvin Drummond, R-R, 6-3, 200, RS-Jr., Huntington Beach, CA
(6-1, 2.62 ERA)
RHP - 18 Paul Sewald, R-R, 6-2, 180, Sr., Las Vegas, NV
(4-1, 2.09 ERA)
RHP - 19 Dylan Covey, R-R, 6-2, 200, Pasadena, CA
(3-2, 2.95 ERA)
Head Coach: 10 Rich Hill (Cal State Lutheran, 1984)
San Diego Record: 464-321-3 (14th year) Career Record: 797-541-3 (24th year)
Collegiate Baseball/Baseball America/USA Today Coaches/NCBWA rankings
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ON THE TUBE: Gonzaga University will have five home games televised this season. Four games will be televised on SWX-TV while one game will be televised nationally on ESPNU. The four games to feature the Bulldogs on SWX are: March 30 vs. Pepperdine University at 6 p.m., April 3 and April 17 against Washington State University at 6 p.m. and May 12 against Arizona State University at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs WCC game against Loyola Marymount University on April 28 will be featured on ESPNU. The Saturday contest is set for a 7 p.m. first pitch. Saturday's contest will be the first time the Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field will be seen on the ESPN family of networks.
ON THE RADIO: The Gonzaga University baseball team's home games can be heard on the radio. Fans can follow the Zags on 1510 AM KGA Sports Talk radio with Tom Hudson returning for his ninth season as the voice of the Zags. Joining Hudson in his fifth season as an analyst is Gonzaga's all-time winningest baseball coach and current associate athletic director Steve Hertz.
LIVE VIDEO COVERAGE: The Gonzaga University baseball team's home games can be seen live on the Zags Sports Channel all-access through GoZags.com. Check out the baseball schedule page for the link to the video broadcast. As always, live stats are available for all home games and can be accessed through GoZags.com.
TWITTER: The Gonzaga University Bulldogs are on Twitter. Fans can follow the Bulldogs at Twitter.com/GonzagaBulldogs. Fans can receive inside scoop on all Bulldog athletics as well as in-game updates. The Gonzaga baseball team is also on Twitter. Visit Twitter.com/GonzagaBaseball to follow the Bulldogs.
FACEBOOK: The Gonzaga University Bulldogs are on Facebook. Visit Facebook.com/GonzagaBulldogs and click on 'Like' to receive inside scoop and photos. The Gonzaga baseball team also has a Facebook page, visit Facebook.com/GUBaseball.
SCOUTING THE TOREROS: The University of San Diego is coming off taking two of three games at the University of San Francisco in a West Coast Conference series last weekend. The Toreros won games one (6-1) and two (11-5), but the Dons took game three 1-0 to hand the Toreros their first conference loss and avoid the sweep. Sophomore Kris Bryant, who shared last year's WCC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors with Gonzaga University's Marco Gonzales, continues to be the Toreros leader at the plate, hitting .381 with eight doubles, a triple, eight home runs and 34 RBI. Their weekend starting pitchers enter the weekend with a ERA under 3.00. Paul Sewald's 2.09 ERA is the lowest among the weekend starters followed by Calvin Drummond's 2.62 and Dylan Covey's 2.95. Michael Wagner has also been successful closing games for the Toreros. He has saved 12 games in 16 appearances.
LAST TIME VS. TOREROS: Gonzaga University swept the University of San Diego last year in Spokane by the scores of 10-2, 3-1, 11-6. Among returners, junior Billy Moon led the effort for the Zags by going 4-for-11 with three runs, a triple, a home run and six RBI. Eric Lane had five hits and scored six runs to lead the Bulldogs in those categories. On the pitching side, senior Tyler Olson threw 7 2/3 innings in game two, allowing one unearned run on eight hits while striking out six.
ZAGS IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: Gonzaga University improving in the NCAA statistic rankings as of late. As a team, the Bulldogs pitching staff's 2.70 ERA is the 10th lowest in the country. Individually, two-way player Marco Gonzales' 1.26 ERA is 12th-best and his .417 batting average ranks 29th. Also according to the NCAA's statistic ranks, junior Clayton Eslick is the 26th toughest batter to strikeout. In 83 appearances at the plate this season, Eslick has only struck out four times for an average of 20.8.
GONZALES IS OUT: Gonzaga University will be without the services of two-way player Marco Gonzales for the next few weeks. The sophomore had surgery last week to repair a torn minuscus on his right leg.Gonzales is having another outstanding season in both hitting and pitching. At the plate, Gonzales leads the team in batting average (.417) and doubles (5) while on the mound he owns a 4-0 record with a 1.25 ERA.
BOLINGER ON ROLL: Gonzaga University baseball senior outfielder Royce Bolinger has been dangerous at the plate lately as the Scottsdale, Ariz., native is currently on a team-best 13-game hitting streak. He is 26-for-56 (.464) with a double, two triples, six home runs and 15 RBI during the streak. In the last two Sunday's, hit two home runs in back-to-back plate appearances. Bolinger has also been hitting in either the third or fourth slot in head coach Mark Machtolf's batting order. He is 18-for-36 (.500) with two triples and five home runs when hitting in the three slot and is 8-for-20 (.400) with a double and a home run when batting in the cleanup spot.
ESLICK TAKES THE FIELD: With sophomore Marco Gonzales injured, Gonzaga University head coach Mark Machtolf decided to give first base duties to junior Clayton Eslick in the nightcap of the doubleheader against Pepperdine Univeristy Saturday. The move was made when it was senior pitcher/first baseman's Andy Hunter's turn in the weekend rotation. In his first appearance at first base as a Zag, Eslick recorded seven putouts and an assist while commiting no errors. It was also the first time he was moved to a defensive position since May 18, when he penciled in as the second baseman at the University of Oregon. He had been serving as the Bulldogs designated hitter this season.
CAREER GAME FOR STANFORD: Senior second baseman Alex Stanford has the best offensive performance in his career at Gonzaga University. In game one of a doubleheader against Pepperdine University last Saturday, Stanford went a perfect 5-for-5 with five RBI, the best his in career in a Zag uniform. He also touched home plate twice and stretched one of his five base hits into a double.
BIGELOW GETS CALLED, TWICE: Gonzaga University redshirt freshman David Bigelow had a busy day Saturday as he was called from the bullpen in both games of a doubleheader against Pepperdine University. In game one, he relieved starter Tyler Olson during the Waves five unearned-run eighth inning. He would be credited a win after the Bulldogs scored four runs in the home half of the same inning to beat the Waves 10-7. In the nightcap, Bigelow came in the 11th inning to successfully prevent the Waves from breaking a 6-6 tie, but was unsuccessful in the 12th when the Waves scored the winning run off him. The Spokane native also had to take a turn at the plate after the Bulldogs forfeited the designated hitter in the ninth inning. Bigelow drew a walk in his first plate appearance as a Zag but was caught stealing third base.
ABBRUZZA STARTING TO SETTLE IN: After he allowed five runs in 1 1/3 innings at the University of New Mexico March 11, Gonzaga University freshman right-hander has started to show he is settling in the collegiate level. The Redmond, Wash., native has lowered his ERA from 10.12 to 4.61 in last six appearances, allowing one run on three hits and three walks in the last 8 1/3 innings of work. He has also struck out six batters during the run.
MACHTOLF REACHES CAREER WIN NO. 250: Gonzaga University ninth-year head coach Mark Machtolf received his 250th career win when his Bulldogs downed Pepperdine University 14-3 last Sunday. Machtolf is chasing Larry Koentopp's 289 wins, the second most in program history. Koentopp led the Zags for eight seasons from 1970-77. Machtolf's predecessor and current GU associate athletic director Steve Hertz has the most wins in program history with 637 wins in 24 years at the helm.
WE'RE WATCHING YOU: Five Gonzaga University pitchers, along with their battery mate senior Maxx Garrett, have picked off 12 runners this season, which is tied with Pepperdine University for the most among West Coast Conference teams. Junior left-hander Billy Moon leads the Bulldogs with most pickoffs, picking off four in three consecutive appearances. Sophomore Marco Gonzales and senior Tyler Olson are right behind their fellow southpaw with two while right-handers senior Andy Hunter, freshman Derek Peterson and catcher Garrett each added picked off one runner.
GONZALES ON A WINNING STREAK: After picking up his fourth win of the season against the University of the Pacific March 17, Gonzaga University sophomore left-hander Marco Gonzales has won 15 straight games on the mound, the longest streak among NCAA Division I pitchers. His last losing decision was at Texas A&M University Feb. 26, 2011, when he threw seven innings and allowed three runs, but the Bulldog offense couldn't help him as they lost 4-2 to the Aggies.
ZAGS JUMPED RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE: Gonzaga University's 10-0 record to start the 2012 season was the best since 1990, when the Bulldogs went 9-0 to start the season. The 1990 Bulldogs opened the season sweeping Eastern Oregon State College in a four-game series and after defeating Eastern Washington University the Bulldogs swept Central Washington University in four games. The Bulldogs would suffer back-to-back losses to Fresno State University in their road-opener.
ON DECK: Before coming back to Spokane, Gonzaga University will use Easter Sunday to travel to Seattle and play a two-game series with the University of Washington. First pitch is 5 p.m. on Monday, 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
BULLDOGS PICKED SECOND IN WCC: Gonzaga University is picked to finish second according to the 2012 West Coast Conference coaches' preseason poll. The Bulldogs received 57 votes and three first-place votes. The University of San Diego edged the Bulldogs as the favorite to win the WCC title with 59 points and five first-place votes. The defending WCC champions University of San Francisco garnered a first-place vote and tallied 51 points to finish third in the poll. Loyola Marymount University captured 37 points to finish fourth. Pepperdine University and Saint Mary's College - each with 30 points - tied for fifth, while West Coast Conference newcomer BYU was tabbed seventh with 28 points. The University of Portland (23 points) and Santa Clara University (nine points) rounded out the poll.
RECAPPING LAST YEAR: Gonzaga University finished the 2011 season 32-19-1 overall, capturing its fourth 30-win season in the last five years. The Bulldogs also went 15-6 in West Coast Conference play. The Bulldogs started the season 0-5 but made a huge turnaround as the season progressed. In an unscripted moment, the Bulldogs and the University of San Francisco entered their regular-season series in Spokane tied for first place on the final weekend, setting up a WCC Championship Series. After the two teams split the first two games, the WCC championship was decided in the rubber match, with the Dons beating the Bulldogs 4-2.
NINE PLAYERS TO JOIN THE ZAGS IN 2013: Gonzaga University head coach Mark Machtolf announced the signing of nine players to his 2013 roster Jan. 31. Joining the Bulldogs next spring are Will Abram, a 6-2 left-handed pitcher and a sophomore transfer from Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, Ariz.; Nelson Benjamin, a 6-0 centerfielder from Valley Vista High in Surprise, Ariz.; Taylor Jones, a 6-7 right-handed pitcher/first baseman from Kentwood High in Covington, Wash.; Brandon Mahovlich, a 6-2 right-handed pitcher/outfielder from Issaquah High in Issaquah, Wash.; Cabe Reiten, a 6-2 shortstop from the Academy Northwest in Olympia, Wash.; Michael Rucker, a 6-0 right-handed pitcher from Auburn Riverside High in Auburn, Wash.; Jimmy Sinatro, a 5-10 catcher from Skyline High in Sammamish, Wash.; Andrew Sopko, a 6-2 right-handed pitcher from Loyola Sacred Heart High in Missoula, Mont., and Caleb Wood, a 5-10 shortstop from Valley Vista High in Surprise, Ariz.
