Box Score
MALIBU, Calif.—The Gonzaga University baseball team kept its postseason hopes alive by winning a wild game at Pepperdine Friday afternoon, scoring five runs in the eighth and holding on for a 10-9 win over the Waves at Eddie D. Field Stadium in Malibu, Calif.
Gonzaga sent nine men to the plate in the eighth, scoring their five runs on five hits and taking advantage of a walk and a wild pitch. The first five hitters reached base with Tyler Frost drawing a leadoff walk and the next four hitting singles. RBI base knocks from Mitchell Gunsolus and Sam Brown drew Gonzaga within two at 8-7, and the visitors tied it up when Dustin Breshears scored on a wild pitch. After the Waves recorded the first out of the frame via a strikeout, Cory LeBrun picked up the big hit, singling up the middle and allowing Gunsolus and Brown to score from third and second, respectively. Gunsolus came in standing up, but Brown beat a throw from Pepperdine center fielder Matt Gelalich for the run.
With the two-run lead, closer David Bigelow took over for reliever Wyatt Mills in the middle of the eighth inning. Bigelow sat the Waves down in order during the eighth, but Pepperdine didn't back down in the ninth. Gelalich hit a one-out triple to center field - his second of the game - and Manny Jefferson brought him in with a single through the left side. Another single from Kolten Yamaguchi moved Jefferson to second. With the tying run in scoring position, Bigelow buckled down and struck out the next two Wave batters, clinching the win for the Bulldogs.
Before the Zags took the lead in the eighth, Pepperdine and Gonzaga had traded the advantage three times. GU scored the game's first run, taking advantage of Gunsolus' leadoff double in the first inning. The senior moved to third on a fielding error when Gelalich double-clutched on the double to center, and he scored when Brown grounded out to second base. The Waves took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the first. They scored three runs on Gelalich‘s first three-bagger, a bases-loaded rip down the right field line.
The Bulldogs cut the deficit to one with a run in the third, and they took another temporary lead with three more in the fifth. LeBrun hit an RBI single for the first run in that frame as well, and Justin Jacobs also brought a run in with a sacrifice fly. Pepperdine re-took the lead in the bottom of the fifth, though, with four runs of their own on six hits.
In the seventh, the Waves got one run despite loading the bases with no outs. Mills worked the immense jam with minimal damage, only allowing a sacrifice fly and a non-consequential walk in the frame. Thanks to the inning-long outing before Gonzaga took the lead, Mills earned his first career victory.
Bulldog Bites
- LeBrun collected four hits and four RBIs on the day, setting a career high in both categories. The redshirt senior has posted multiple base hits in each of his last five games, dating back to May 8 versus Pacific. During that stretch, he's hit .565 (13x23) with one walk, three runs, and six RBIs. The tear has raised his batting average from .293 to .329. Additionally, LeBrun extended his hit streak to 10 games, the second-longest of the year for the Phoenix native.
- With the save - his 10th of the season - Bigelow moved into second on Gonzaga's single season saves list. He passed major leaguer Cody Martin, who saved nine games in 2008. Martin also has record with 12 saves in 2011. Six of Bigelow's saves this season have come in outings longer than one inning. Additionally, Bigelow set a season high with four strikeouts Friday, fanning one in the eighth and retiring the side in the ninth on strikes.
- Seniors led the way for Gonzaga Friday as LeBrun and Gunsolus - the team's two fielding seniors - combined to go 7-for-8 with one walk, two hit by pitches, three runs scored and four RBIs. The other senior to play Friday was Bigelow, who earned the save as mentioned above. There are two more seniors on the squad as both Zach Abbruzza and Derek Peterson graduated this season, but they did not take the field.
- After today's scoreless inning, Mills hasn't allowed a run in his last four appearances and 6.1 innings. Since allowing one run on March 28, he's made scoreless appearances against Saint Mary's, at Santa Clara, and at Oregon. He pitched 3.2 innings of two-hit ball against the Ducks just three days previously. In addition to his first career win, he recorded his first career decision as he posted a 0-0 record as a freshman and had the same entering the game at Pepperdine.
- The Zags have dominated the final two innings of games, outscoring teams 69-25 in innings seven and eight and 109-59 after the sixth inning. Much of that success has come from the Zags' ability to hit opposing bullpens, which they did again Friday at Pepperdine. The Zags tagged Pepperdine relievers for five runs on eight hits, benefiting from one walk, one wild pitch, and two hit batters. After their .533 (8x15) day and scoring five runs off Waves relievers, they're tagging all opposing bullpens for a 4.97 ERA and a .292 batting average on the year.
Mac Talk -Thoughts from Gonzaga head coach Mark Machtolf
"Our older guys did a great job of overcoming some tough circumstances. They kept punching, they kept fighting, and they never game up."
"We had some quality two-out hits, really good at-bats, and our bullpen came up huge when we needed it to."
Next Up
Gonzaga (24-26, 13-12 WCC) will continue the final series of the regular season Saturday, May 16 with another game against Pepperdine. First pitch in that contest will come at 1:00 p.m. Gonzaga will send RHP Brandon Bailey to the mound while the Waves have yet to name a starter.
