Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash.—Another strong game at the plate and on the mound led Gonzaga baseball to a 6-3 win over Pacific Sunday afternoon at Patterson Baseball Complex & Washington Trust Field. Not only did the victory clinch the series for Gonzaga, it helped the Zags' five seniors wrap up their final home series on a high note.

Gonzaga's bats picked up where they left off after game two's 19-run, 20-hit outburst as the Zags plated two runs in the first inning, each on extra base hits. After the first two Zags made outs, Taylor Jones was plunked by a pitch and scored on a Cory LeBrun double to deep center field. A senior playing his final game at Patterson, LeBrun touched home after Justin Jacobs ripped a two-bagger down the right field line in the next at bat.

The Zags added on immediately, getting another run in the bottom of the second. Tyler Frost led the frame off with a triple to the wall in right center, his second in as many games. He scampered home in the next plate appearance, advancing when Joey Harris hit a sacrifice fly out to center.

In the fourth, Harris led off with a single to left center with the first pitch he saw. He came home a short while later when Mitchell Gunsolus hit his second home run in as many days, touching all four bases for the seventh time this season. The homer proved to be Gunsolus' final at bat at Patterson as he was intentionally walked in his last two plate appearances of the game.

On the mound, meanwhile, Eli Morgan held Pacific scoreless through four and didn't allow an earned run all game. He struck out five batters in his 7.2 innings, including two in the third, helping strand two runners in the frame. Morgan also got the Tigers to leave two runners on during the third inning as well. In the fifth, Pacific only managed a run thanks to a throwing error from GU second baseman Jeff Bohling while trying to turn a double play.

Gonzaga added one more in the seventh when Bohling grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing Jones to score from third. The first baseman singled to reach base and moved over on a base knock and a fly out.

Pacific closed the deficit to just three runs in the eighth inning, scoring twice with help from two Gonzaga errors. The second error - a misplay by shortstop Dustin Breshears - allowed Nate Verlin to reach base and both Pacific baserunners at the time to score. Closer and redshirt senior David Bigelow then replaced Morgan on the mound and got Jed Sprague to strike out swinging, ending the inning.

In the ninth, Bigelow retired three of the four hitters he faced, completing the save and allowing the Zags to clinch the series at two games to one.

Bulldog Bites

• Sunday was Senior Day for Gonzaga as five seniors saw their last collegiate game at Patterson Baseball Complex. LeBrun, Gunsolus, and Bigelow played in the home finale, and they join Derek Peterson and Zach Abbruzza to fill out GU baseball's 2015 senior class. Peterson pitched 2.0 scoreless innings May 8 against Pacific while Abbruzza's last home appearance came in the previous home series against Saint Mary's.
• Gunsolus hit his seventh home run of the season Sunday, going yard for a two-run blast in the fourth inning. It's the first time this season he's homered in back-to-back games, and he has home runs in three of his last four contests as he also touched them all May 3 at #2 UCLA. Additionally, he's the first Zag to homer seven times in one season since Royce Bolinger swatted 11 in 2012. Gunsolus ended the series against Pacific hitting .538 (7x13) with seven RBIs, four hits for extra bases (two doubles, two home runs) and four runs scored. He also drew four walks for an on base percentage of .647. His slugging percentage was 1.154.
• Bigelow picked up his ninth save of the year, moving into a tie for the second-most in a season by a Zag reliever. He went 1.1 innings for the save, the fifth time he's gone over an inning for the save. It was his first save since April 17 at Portland.
• Morgan pitched a gem, allowing three unearned runs on six hits, striking out five batters. The 7.2 innings pitched marked a career high for the freshman. It was his second start of the year; the first came at #2 UCLA May 3.

Zag Speak - Thoughts from Gonzaga coaches and players
Head Coach Mark Machtolf
"We hit the ball as well today as we hit last night. We did what we wanted to in hitting the ball to center, but their center fielder [Pacific's Tyler Sullivan] played really well. I don't think I've seen a game where he's made as many plays."

"Eli has composure beyond his years. He did that at UCLA. Coming out here and throwing three pitches for strikes and bouncing back after we made an error; he did outstanding today and I'm really proud of him."

Redshirt Senior and right hander David Bigelow
"It's been an awesome day. Every senior day has mixed emotions: you're happy for the guys, but then you realize that it's coming to a close really quickly. Today was awesome, though. My parents were here, and I got to see some childhood friends. I couldn't have asked for anything more."

"We have a chance for the tournament and that's all you can really ask for. Like Coach Mac was saying it has been kind of a tough year, but to be here and still be playing competitive baseball…there's a lot of teams that wish they could be in our shoes. We just have to come out and focus on us and hopefully things work out and we find ourselves in Stockton."

Next Up
Gonzaga (23-24, 12-12 WCC) will hit the road for five games in the final week of the regular season. They begin the week with a two-game stint in Eugene, Ore., for a non-conference series against the University of Oregon before wrapping up the conference slate with a three-game series at Pepperdine. First pitch for game one against the Ducks is slated for 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12 at PK Park in Eugene.