Bulldogs And Dons Open WCC Tournament Thursday
5/22/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
STOCKTON, Calif. - Gonzaga University and the University of San Francisco will face off at Banner Island Ballpark Thursday at 3 p.m. to open the 2013 West Coast Conference Baseball Tournament. Joining the Zags and Dons in Stockton will be the University of San Diego and BYU. The winning club from the four-team tournament will earn an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. The championship game will be aired on ESPNU Saturday at 7 p.m. (PDT).
2013 WCC Championship Tournament
GAME 53 | May 23 | vs San Francisco | Banner Island Ballpark | 3:00 p.m
RADIO: 1510 KGA TV: WCC Digital Network
All times Pacific Time Zone and subject to change
Live stats available on GoZags.com and on the GoZags App
Visit GoZags.com for live audio/video availability
Gonzaga Bulldogs (31-14-1, 18-6 West Coast)
STARTING PITCHER
#7 LHP Marco Gonzales (7-2, 2.55 ERA)
Head Coach - Mark Machtolf (Stanford 1987, 10th Year - 23rd at Gonzaga)
Gonzaga Record - 298-231 Career Record - Same
San Francisco Dons (32-21, 15-9 West Coast)
STARTING PITCHER
#25 RHP Haden Hinkle (8-1, 1.60 ERA)
Head Coach - Nino Giarratano (William Jewell 1985)
BULLDOGS VS DONS ROUND 2: Gonzaga University baseball and University of San Francisco squared off in Spokane March 15. The series opened West Coast Conference play for both squads as GU was victorious in two of the three games. Game one of the series was a walk-off winner for the Zags in the 14th-inning. Steven Halcomb hit .467 in the series. Thursday's starter Marco Gonzales was successful against the Dons in his start. The lefty went eight innings allowing just four hits, two runs while striking out six batters.
GU AGAINST THE REST OF THE FIELD: The Gonzaga baseball team won all but one West Coast Conference series during the 2013 season. The lone team to take two games from the Bulldogs was Loyola Marymount University. Against the other three teams in the WCC Championships, the Zags are 6-3. In each of the series against University of San Francisco, University of San Diego and BYU, the Bulldogs won the first two games before dropping the finale. GU also hosted each of the three teams at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washing Trust Field in Spokane.
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 NEARING 300: After the Gonzaga University baseball team swept Santa Clara University on the road last weekend, head coach Mark Machtolf took a giant leap towards his 300th career victory. Machtolf is just three games from his 300th win. He could reach the milestone as soon as the series finale against Appalachian State University Sunday.
HOW CAN WE WATCH?: Each contest Thursday and Friday in the West Coast Conference Baseball Tournament can be watched free online on the WCC Digital Network, powered by Campus Insiders. The championship game Saturday can be seen on ESPNU and on the Watch ESPN mobile app. The Gonzaga baseball team opens the tournament Thursday at 3 p.m. against the University of San Francisco.
YOU CAN LISTEN TOO!: Each of the Gonzaga baseball team's games over the WCC Championships can also be heard on KGA 1510 AM with Steve Hertz and Tom Hudson on the call.
