Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash.--The Gonzaga University baseball squad had a Jekyll-and-Hyde doubleheader at Grand Canyon Saturday, posting the program's best offensive production in six years during game one but getting shutout in game two at Brazell Stadium in Phoenix, Ariz.

Game One: Gonzaga 21, Grand Canyon 9

The Bulldog bats started the game on fire as the visitors scored six runs on seven hits in the top of the first. Right fielder Sam Brown led off with a double to right, and the next two batters reached to load the bases. Gonzaga then scored in the next five plate appearances with Justin Jacobs posting an RBI single to right, Jeff Bohling doing the same to left, and Joey Harris sending a one-bagger to center. Tyler Frost also added an RBI via a walk, and Brown capped off the big inning by singling to center field in his second at bat, bringing home Harris.

That first inning outburst was just a preview as the Bulldogs' bats stayed hot throughout the rest of the game. Gonzaga plated at least one run in seven of the nine innings, adding three runs in the second, fourth, seventh, and ninth; two in the sixth, and one in the fifth. Frost led the team with four RBIs while Brown collected four hits. Jacobs, Bohling, Harris, and Dustin Breshears each scored three runs for Gonzaga. In all, eight Zags collected RBIs during game one while 10 tallied at least one base knock and 11 crossed home plate.

On the mound, lefty Calvin LeBrun got the win for Gonzaga, striking out three batters in five innings. The Antelopes got six runs off the sophomore. Junior right-hander Hunter Wells threw 4.0 innings in relief, fanning two batters. He held GCU off the scoreboard in his first three innings before they got to him for three in the ninth. The four-inning save is the first of his career.

Game one's combined 30 runs between the two teams is the highest amount of the young Division I baseball season.

Game Two: Grand Canyon 3, Gonzaga 0

Game two was the opposite of game one: a battle on the mound. The Antelopes won the battle with starter Jake Repavich holding Gonzaga to three hits during the contest. The first of those came in the very first at bat with another leadoff double from Brown. The right fielder was stranded, however, after the next three batters made outs. GCU knocked one across for themselves in the bottom of the frame when Garrison Schwartz scored on a single from Brick Paskiewicz.

Gonzaga starter Justin Vernia turned in the Zags' first quality start of the new year, throwing 7.0 innings and allowing three runs, two of which were earned. After allowing one more run in each of the fourth and fifth innings, the junior transfer retired the last seven batters he faced before Eli Thornquist took over to begin the eighth. Vernia suffered the loss, his first in collegiate baseball as he went 22-0 at Tacoma Community College over the last two years.

The Zags saw two runners reach third base during the game: Bohling did so in the sixth after taking first on a fielder's choice and advancing on a wild pitch and a balk. In the seventh, Frost got aboard via walk, stole second base, and advanced to third on a groundout from Breshears.

Bulldog Bites:

• GU's offensive output was off the charts in game one. Their 21 runs was the most they've scored since 2010 and 24 hits are the most in at least the last eight years. Numerous Zags posted career marks during the game, including Bohling's three hits and three runs scored, Brown's four hits, and Frost's four RBIs.
• The Zags' posted a big inning to begin the day, sending 11 men to the plate and scoring six runs on seven hits. Brown posted two of those base knocks during the frame, and five Zags -- Brown included -- tallied an RBI. The pass-the-torch inning was the first time GU batted around since May 9 of last season. Then, they sent 12 men to the plate and scored six runs in the seventh inning against Pacific.
• It took Gonzaga nine innings to score 21 runs in game one Saturday. Last year, the Zags didn't score 21 total runs through the first five games of the season. Last year, they had six total games with 10-plus runs, not achieving the feat until the game No. 6.
• Four Zags made their Gonzaga debut Saturday. In game one, Jace VanDeBrake got his first collegiate at bat, pinch hitting for Jacobs in the eighth inning. Jake Roberts pinch ran for Harris in the seventh inning and took over behind the plate, and Jarod Gonzales pinch hit for Brown in the top of the ninth and took over defensively at third. In game two, Vernia got the start and made his D1 debut after playing in the junior college ranks the previous two years.

Mac Talk: Thoughts from Gonzaga head coach Mark Machtolf

• "We were clicking on all cylanders during game one. There were many quality at bats and big hits."
• "Game two was a different story. Repavich did a job of making pitches. We didn't make the needed adjustments or stick with our plan of attack."

Next Up:

Gonzaga (1-2) wraps up opening weekend with another game in Phoenix against the Antelopes. First pitch for the fourth game between the two clubs is slated for 11:00 a.m. Pacific, again at Brazell Stadium. RHP Eli Morgan takes the mound for the Bulldogs while Tyler Wyatt gets the nod for Grand Canyon.