Box Score

SAN ANTONIO, Texas--With timely pitching and a dash of offense, the Gonzaga University baseball team opened its three-game series at UTSA with a win Saturday, beating the Roadrunners 3-1 at Roadrunner Field in San Antonio.

The Roadrunners took a lead in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from C.J. Pickering, but Gonzaga immediately evened the game with a run of their own in the second. Designated hitter Jarod Gonzales ripped a hard-hit single through the left side and then advanced to second on a groundout. After catcher Joey Harris continued the inning by getting hit by a pitch, center fielder Branson Trube blooped a double into right field past a diving UTSA right fielder Skyler Valentine to plate Gonzales.

Gonzaga took the lead for good with two runs in the fifth. Third baseman Jeff Bohling led the frame with a four-pitch walk, and two batters later, he moved over on a single from Justin Jacobs. Team RBI leader Tyler Frost knocked in yet another run with a double to the right field, allowing Bohling to score and chasing UTSA starter Chance Kirby from the game. Gonzales then welcomed reliever Andre Shewcraft to the game with a first pitch fly ball to center, allowing Jacobs to score on the sacrifice.

On the mound, starter Brandon Bailey worked himself into a groove starting in the second. After he walked UTSA's leadoff batter to begin the frame, he retired nine in a row and 15 of his final 16 batters faced before being replaced by Wyatt Mills in the middle of the seventh. Mills allowed the first two Roadrunners he faced to reach base but buckled down and retired the next three to get out of the inning unscathed.

UTSA also threatened in the eighth, getting two of its first three batters on base, chasing Mills from the game. Justin Vernia came in in relief, getting the second out on a popup but walking the next Roadrunner batter to load the bases. The junior transfer then got Jason Serchay to ground out to Jacobs at second to end the frame. After the Zags loaded the bases but went down scoreless in the ninth, Vernia retired the final three Roadrunner batters to clinch the win for Gonzaga.

Bulldog Bites:

• The three Zag pitchers combined to hold the Roadrunners to just one run on six hits, the Bulldogs' fewest runs allowed this season and their second-fewest hits allowed. Bailey posted his third straight quality start, allowing that lone run and three hits in six innings of work. He also picked up the win, his third consecutive as well. Mills turned in his second straight scoreless outing, going 1.1 innings, while Vernia picked up his second save in as many games, retiring five of the six his batters faced. Vernia also earned the save March 9 at Arkansas in what was his first relief appearance of the year; he's the first Bulldog with multiple saves on the year, but three others have posted one.
• Bohling reached base in all five appearances Saturday, collecting three hits -- one a double -- and drawing two walks. His .392/.460/.569 slash line is leading the team in every category, and he's tied for the team lead with 13 runs scored. His nine bases on balls also lead the squad. He extended his on-base streak to 10 games and hit streak to four today in San Antonio.
• With the multi-hit game -- his second in a row -- Trube extended his career-long on base streak to 10 games. He's one of four Zags to have reached base in 10 consecutive games this season. Since the beginning of the Irish Alamo Classic, Trube is second on the team with a .385 average (10x26) with four runs, four doubles, and three RBIs.

Mac Talk: Thoughts from GU head coach Mark Machtolf

• "Bailey really did a nice job of settling in and giving us a great start. He was limited in pitch count-wise knowing he'd throw on short rest against Pepperdine next week."
• "Mills was a little erratic tonight but made some pitches when he needed to. Vernia did a nice job of closing the door. He wasn't quite as sharp as he was Arkansas but he still got it done!"

Next Up:

The Bulldogs (7-6) and Roadrunners will wrap up the non-conference series with two games Sunday, March 13, again at Roadrunner Field. First pitch for the first game of the doubleheader will take place at 8:30 a.m. Pacific (10:30 a.m. Central). Right hander Hunter Wells will take the mound for Gonzaga to begin the day and fellow RHP Eli Morgan will start in game two. UTSA will counter with Aaron Burns in game one but has not yet announced a starter for the later contest.