Bulldogs And Ducks Open Two-Game Set Tuesday
5/14/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
SPOKANE, Wash. - With only three games remaining until the West Coast Conference Championships in Stockton, Calif., the Gonzaga University baseball team (32-16-1) will open a two-game set Tuesday at sixth-ranked University of Oregon (40-11). After Oregon, the Zags will face another Pac-12 team in University of California Monday. The Bulldogs concludes its 2013 home slate this past weekend with Appalachian State University who took the series two games to one. Starting for Gonzaga Tuesday will be Zach Abbruzza and he will square off against Jordan Spencer for the Ducks. Both games will be played at PK Park on the Oregon campus.
SCOUTING THE DUCKS: The Ducks have proved to be one of the top teams in college baseball all season. Oregon stands at 40-11 overall and 19-5 in Pac-12 contests. Only Oregon State stands above the Ducks in the Pac-12 standings and the two programs are set to battle this weekend in Eugene. Oregon is ranked in five of the major polls highlighted by a No. 6 ranking from Collegiate Baseball, the USA Today Coaches Poll and the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association. Ryon Healy and Brett Thomas lead the Ducks in batting. Healy is hitting .333 with 10 homeruns and 47 RBI while Thomas has a .326 batting average with two homeruns and 27 RBI. Cole Irvin leads the Oregon pitching staff with a 10-2 record and a 2.64 ERA. George Hortin, who is in his fifth season with the program, coaches the club.
WCC REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPS: The quest to stand atop the West Coast Conference was fulfilled last Saturday as Gonzaga University baseball clinched the WCC regular-season title with a 6-1 victory over Santa Clara University at Stephen Schott Stadium. The landmark moment marks the second WCC regular-season title in program history with the last coming in 2009.
MACHTOLF TWO AWAY FROM 300: Another win this past weekend for Gonzaga University head coach Mark Machtolf now puts him two victories away from the 300 career mark. With three games remaining in the regular season, Machtolf could reach the milestone as soon as Wednesday against the University of Oregon.
HOW THE WEST WAS WON: While other West Coast Conference schools continue league play this weekend, the Gonzaga University already wrapped up its championship regular season. The Bulldogs went 18-6 in WCC action and lost only one series. The Zags swept the University of Portland, Saint Mary's College and most recently Santa Clara University.
In WCC games, Cory LeBrun and Marco Gonzales was an offensive machine. LeBrun hit .337 with 16 RBI while Gonzales hit .325 with 9 RBI. Caleb Wood had a team-best 18 RBI and Alex Bonczyk stole 6 bases in league play.
Leading GU on the mound was Tyler Olson and Gonzales. Olson has been lights-out with a 7-1 record and 2.35 ERA in 57 innings. Gonzales went 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 56 innings.
As a team GU hit .264 in WCC games and had a 3.10 ERA.
WCC CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT: 2013 will mark the first time the West Coast Conference will use a four-team, neutral-site championship tournament to be held at Banner Island Ballpark May 23-25. Banner Island Ballpark is located in Stockton, Calif., and is home to the Stockton Ports. The top four teams from the league standings will participate in the three-day, double elimination bracket with no "if necessary" Championship game. The winner of the championship will earn an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. The championship game will also be televised on ESPNU May 25 at 7 p.m.
