Box Score

PHOENIX, Ariz.--The Gonzaga University baseball squad forced a well-earned series split at Grand Canyon Sunday, winning the last of a four-game series 11-2 at Brazell Stadium in Phoenix.

Both clubs went scoreless through the first two innings, but Gonzaga changed that with a three-run inning in the third. Designated hitter Patrick Chung got things going with a single to center field, advancing to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Justin Jacobs drew a walk, and Jeff Bohling brought home both baserunners with a double to the gap in right center. After Tyler Frost also drew a walk, catcher Joey Harris plated Gonzaga's third run of the inning with a single to right field, scoring Bohling.

The Zags struck for four more in the fourth. Right fielder Sam Brown got things going with a single to right field, moving over to second on a sacrifice from Chung. Brown came in to score on a double to the left-center gap from Jacobs. Bohling then drove in Jacobs with a base knock to right and came in himself during the next at bat when Frost ripped a double to right center. Gonzaga then took advantage of some erratic Grand Canyon pitching, benefiting from three wild pitches and a hit batter in the final three plate appearances of the frame. Frost took third and later came home on two balls in the dirt, both from GCU reliever Jake Wong.

Starting pitcher Eli Morgan, however, stifled the Antelope batters. He didn't allow a baserunner until the fifth inning when Brandon Smith led off with a double to left field. Morgan then got the next two batters to ground out, but the balls in play scored Smith for the home team's first run of the day. Morgan only allowed one more run while tossing 8.0 innings and striking out eight batters.

The Zags, meanwhile, tacked on four more runs: one in the top of the seventh inning and three in the ninth. Chung brought in the seventh-inning run with a single while Nick Brooks plated two in the ninth with a pinch hit double. Taylor Jones finished the two-out rally with an RBI single to right.

Bulldog Bites:

• Making his fourth career start Sunday, Morgan continued to be electric on the mound. During those four starts, he's thrown 28.2 innings while allowing just eight earned runs for a 2.55 ERA. Furthermore, the Ranchos Palos Verdes, Calif., native has struck out 20 batters while walking just five. His eight innings pitched and eight strikeouts Sunday against the `Lopes are both career bests.
• With 11 runs scored, the Zags reached double digits for the second game of the year; they plated 21 during game one of a doubleheader Feb. 20. It only took Gonzaga four games to reach two games with 10 or more runs in 2016 while the Bulldogs needed 12 games to achieve the same feat last season. In all, Gonzaga scored 33 runs during the four-game series at Grand Canyon with three players - Brown, Bohling, and Jacobs - each touching home five times. Twelve players have scored at least once for Gonzaga this season.
• Right hander Gage Burland made his season debut Sunday, taking over in relief Morgan to begin the ninth inning. The sophomore from Otis Orchards, Wash., fanned two in his scoreless ninth inning.
• Brown collected three hits Sunday, marking his third game of the young season with multiple hits. He leads the team with 10 base knocks and his hitting .526 with two doubles, a home run, five runs scored, and four RBIs.

Mac Talk: Thoughts from Gonzaga head coach Mark Machtolf

"Eli was outstanding today. He was able to command his fastball where he wanted it, and his changeup was really tough on their left-handed hitters."

"Seeing these early results are huge for our hitters, especially after some tough luck on Friday where they hit the ball well but weren't rewarded for it. We can't count on double-digit runs every game, but they know they are capable of battling with anyone in the country."

Next Up:

Gonzaga (2-2) will continue its long season-opening road swing with four games at the Irish Alamo Classic in San Antonio, Texas. They begin the tournament on Feb. 26 with two games: Texas Southern at 1:30 p.m. Pacific and Incarnate Word four hours later. The Zags'll also face Bradley and Notre Dame later in the weekend.