Box Score

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.—Two big innings late blew the game wide open as the Gonzaga University baseball squad rushed past Arkansas 15-5 Wednesday in the second of a two-game series at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. The win gave the Bulldogs a sweep over the Razorbacks and a 4-1 record on their swing in the Central time zone.

Despite the lopsided score at the end of the ninth, Wednesday's contest was tied heading into the top of the seventh inning. The Zags took an early lead in the first with Dustin Breshears scoring on a groundout from Sam Brown. That lead held until the third inning when Arkansas tied it up on an Andrew Benintendi RBI single. Both teams scored in the fourth; the Zags on a walk from Joey Harris, the Hogs on a double from Chad Spanberger, and the host Razorbacks took their only lead of the game when Clark Eagan homered over the right field fence in the fifth inning. Cory LeBrun tied the game up again in the top of the sixth with a pinch hit RBI single. Nick Minteer scored one of his three runs on the play.

The game changed dramatically in the top of the seventh, however, when the Zags scored five runs on three hits and four walks. They sent 11 batters to the plate during the frame, batting around for the first time this season. Joey Harris and Mitchell Gunsolus led the inning off with walks, and Breshears plated pinch runner Beau Bozett with a bloop single down the right field line. Gunsolus would come around to score on a passed ball, and Breshears came in when Justin Jacobs grounded into a double play with no outs. Also picking up RBIs in the frame were Jeff Bohling and LeBrun, who tallied hit RBI singles to give the Zags an 8-3 lead.

Arkansas pulled within three in the eighth inning when Benintendi homered off GU relief pitcher Eli Morgan, scoring Bobby Wernes in the process. The freshman right hander settled down after the hit, getting the next two Razorbacks to ground out to end the inning.

Finding themselves with a more tenuous lead, the Bulldogs picked up more than enough insurance runs in the top of the ninth. The first four Zags up to the plate reached base with Taylor Jones bringing in the first run after getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Gunsolus and Breshears both drew RBI walks with the bases juiced, and Branson Trube posted the big base knock of the inning with a single to center field, bringing in two runs. Jacobs also picked up an RBI with a single to left field to plate Trube. The other GU run scored on a wild pitch.

The Zags took advantage of numerous Arkansas miscues on the day - the Razorbacks committed three errors, issued 13 free passes, and threw four wild pitches - but the Zags also did a solid job of not doing the same. The Bulldog defense only made one error, a throwing error in the second that didn't affect the final score, while Morgan, starter Tyler Frost, and relief pitcher Zach Abbruzza didn't allow one walk the entire afternoon.

Bulldog Bites

• The Bulldog batters combined to draw 13 walks Tuesday afternoon, the most the club has seen since at least 2008. Seven of the Zags' nine starting hitters walked at least once during the game. When combining their 13 bases on balls Wednesday with the six free passes they were issued March 10, the Zags increased their season walk total by 50% while in Fayetteville. They entered the two-game series having drawn 38 walks on the season, and they now have 57 bases on balls, which would rank third in the West Coast Conference. GU entered the series last in the conference in the statistic.
• Gonzaga scored 15 runs for the first time since May 26, 2012. It's already the third time they've reached double-digit runs this season, equaling last year's total which they didn't reach until the final game of the season. Their seven runs in the ninth inning is also a season high.
• Frost made his second career start on the mound, and it was a quality one at that. The freshman pitched 7.0 innings, allowing just three runs for his first ever quality start. Frost fanned just one Razorback, but he got 14 to ground out to the Gonzaga defense, including one double play ball in the seventh inning.
• A pair of reserves saw some quality playing time as both Minteer and Bohling earned starts in the lineup Wednesday. Minteer was the Zags' DH, reaching base four times in six plate appearances , getting one hit, one walk, and hit by two different pitches. He went on to score three times, a career high for the junior. Bohling, meanwhile, reached four times on six plate appearances but only posted two officials at bats. He had two appearances negated by sacrifice hits and another by a walk. He also picked up an RBI and scored a run himself while making seven assists as the starting second baseman.

Season Tickets Now Available
The home opener is rapidly approaching (Friday, March 13th at 6:00 p.m.), and it is time to start ordering season tickets! For just $50, you can guarantee yourself a seat at every home baseball game, or for $100 you may purchase a Family Pass, which allows up to two adults and four children to attend every game. To order tickets and for more information, please visit the GoZags.com/tickets, call 509.313.6000, or stop by the Gonzaga Ticket Office inside the McCarthey Athletic Center Monday through Friday between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Mac Talk - Thoughts from GU head coach March Machtolf
On Frost's performance on the mound
"Frost pitched with confidence and threw a lot of strikes."

On the game as a whole
"We took advantage of some Arkansas miscues, but we also showed good patience and poise at the plate to force some of those miscues. We played hard through some adversity early, and we always kept confident."

Next Up
After 17 games on the road to begin the year, Gonzaga (9-8) will finally play at Patterson Baseball Complex at Washington Trust Field on Friday, March 13. The Zags' home opener will also be their first game of the West Coast Conference season as they host San Francisco at 6:00 p.m. RHP Brandon Bailey is projected to take the mound for Gonzaga while the Dons will send out RHP Anthony Shew.