Box Score

LOS ANGELES—The Gonzaga University baseball team played a solid game all around Saturday night, using the team effort to down Loyola Marymount at Page Stadium in Los Angeles.

The Zags didn't waste any time in getting to LMU starter Tylor Megill, knocking three runs out of the righty in the first inning. Sam Brown led the game off with a single into center field, and Mitchell Gunsolus also reached base with a one-out walk, moving Brown to second base. The pair moved 90 feet closer when Cory LeBrun singled into left field, and Gonzaga got its first run with another base knock in the next at bat, an infield hit from Justin Jacobs that plated Brown. First baseman Taylor Jones followed up with another RBI single to score Gunsolus, and Tyler Frost capped the inning off with a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing in LeBrun on the play.

Gonzaga starter Andrew Sopko also allowed a few first-inning base runners, but unlike his LMU counterpart, the Bulldog escaped the initial frame unscathed. David Fletcher and Tanner Donnels picked up a pair of one-out base knocks while Jimmy Jack drew a two-out walk to load the bases. The trio was stranded on base, however, when Sopko struck out Sean Watkins to end the frame. The junior right hander went 5.0 innings on the day, not allowing a run while striking out six batters. LMU got just four hits off the Missoula, Mont., native.

In the fifth inning, GU's bats continued to pound Megill, scoring four runs on five hits off the starter in the frame and finally chasing him with two down in the fifth. Brown ripped a one-out double down the right field line, scoring on the next play when Jeff Bohling singled him in. Bohling scored in the next at bat after Mitchell Gunsolus ripped a base knock to center, and the senior second baseman came home a double from Jacobs. Next, Jones picked up his second RBI of the night with a single to right center of the first pitch he saw. The first baseman's knock was the final straw for Megill, as his brother Trevor Megill came on in relief to get the final out of the inning.

The Lions got their first run of the night in the sixth inning, getting Wyatt Mills for three hits in the frame including an RBI single from Cassidy Brown. Lefty Calvin LeBrun came on in relief of Mills and made outs in both opposing plate appearances to get out of the inning, stranding two inherited runners on base.

Gonzaga got that run back immediately, taking an 8-1 lead in the top of the seventh. Pinch runner Beau Bozett found himself on third after he and Jacobs pulled off a double steal, and the redshirt junior dashed home on an RBI groundout from Jones, scoring the Zags' final run of the game. LMU got one run in the bottom of the ninth to put the final score at 8-2.

Bulldog Bites

• Five different Zags tallied at least one RBI on the day, and Jones led the way for GU with three RBIs. The Three runs batted in is a career high for the junior from Kent, Wash., and he's now just the fourth different Zag to have three or more RBIs in a game this season.
• Left hander Calvin LeBrun was very economical with his pitch count Saturday, going 3.2 innings on just 39 total pitches. The freshman didn't walk a single batter - the first time in a multi-out appearance he did not issue a base on balls - and the Phoenix native picked up his first collegiate save after pitching three innings of effective relief. He lowered his ERA from 4.35 to 3.89 after just this outing alone.
• Gonzaga scored eight runs for the first time in 10 games Saturday, doing so primarily with three runs in the first and four in the fifth. The Zags are now 5-0 when scoring at least eight runs. Their magic number actually seems to be six runs, however, as they have not lost a game in 10 instances of scoring six or more times. With the win, Gonzaga also drew its road record back to an even 7-7.

Mac Talk - Thoughts from Gonzaga head coach Mark Machtolf
"We played a solid game all around. Sopko pitched out of a trouble a few times, and Calvin did a great job of keeping us right in there. We got some timely hitting in the first and got to their starter in the fifth. This was definitely a game we needed and wanted, and now we need to keep the mojo rolling."

Next Up
The Bulldogs (12-14, 3-5 West Coast Conference) will wrap up the three-game series at Loyola Marymount with a 1:00 p.m. contest against the Lions on Sunday, March 29. RHP Hunter Wells will get the start for Gonzaga while LMU will send RHP Sean Watkins to the mound.