Box Score

PROVO, Utah--The Gonzaga University baseball team held the lead for essentially the entire game, but a five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth by BYU handed the Bulldogs a tough 5-4 loss in the series finale at Provo's Miller Field.

After a ninth-inning RBI single from Joey Harris gave the Zags a four-run lead entering the bottom of the frame, BYU's offense managed five runs on four hits and a pair of walks from reliever Wyatt Mills for the win. The Cougars' leadoff batter reached base, but Mills got Brennon Lund to fly out to left for the first out. The next five batters reached base to tie the game up, with Keaton Kringlen drawing it level with a two-RBI single through the left side. With a runner on third in Eric Urry, Bronson Larsen then lifted a fly ball to center field for the game-winning sacrifice fly.

Having entered the game in the seventh inning with a 3-0 lead, Mills was in line to get the save had the Zags come out on top. It's the junior's first blown save of the year.

Gonzaga led the entire game leading up to the bottom of the ninth, manufacturing a run in the first inning for an early advantage. Shortstop Dustin Breshears reached base after getting hit by a pitch and then moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt and a wild pitch. First baseman Taylor Jones followed up a grounder to third, allowing Breshears to scamper home.

In the bottom half of the frame, GU starter Hunter Wells faced some adversity when a high throw from Jeff Bohling turned a groundout into three-base error. With Hayden Nielsen on third and only one out, Wells loaded the bases with a pair of walks but got out of the frame with a strikeout and a groundout to keep the lead.

In the top of the sixth, Gonzaga capitalized on a scoring chance, posting two two-out runs. Designated hitter Nick Brooks led the rally by getting hit by a pitch with one out, and Jace VanDeBrake followed up with a single to center field. After a popup for the second out, Sam Brown and Breshears posted back-to-back base knocks, plating the two base runners and giving the Zags a 3-0 lead.

Wells pitched 6.0 innings Saturday, allowing base runners in every inning but stranding every one of them. The Spokane native left eight Cougar runners on base, giving up only four hits to the Cougars while on the mound. Mills suffered the loss, his second of the season, while BYU's Jordan Wood was the benefactor of BYU's ninth inning with the win.

Bulldog Bites:

• Wells saw his best start of the season, going 6.0 innings while keeping the hard-hitting Cougars scoreless. The Spokane native struck out four batters and allowed BYU just four hits on the day. The outing was his first scoreless start of the year, and the four hits allowed were the lowest in a start. He also equaled his season and career long with those six innings pitched.
• Frost found success at the plate Saturday, collecting two singles and drawing two more walks to reach base four times on the day. He scored the Zags' fourth run, coming home in the ninth inning on Harris' RBI single. In all during the series, the sophomore from Phoenix hit .455 with five hits, two runs scored, and an RBI, and he added three more walks for a .571 on base percentage, leading the Bulldogs in both batting average and on base percentage.
• With the loss, the Zags fall to 13-8 in West Coast Conference play and behind BYU (12-6) despite being a game ahead in the win column. Gonzaga is, however, three games ahead of fourth-place Pepperdine. The top four teams in WCC play will head to the WCC Championships, held in Stockton, Calif., May 26-28.

Next Up:

Gonzaga (25-15, 13-8 WCC) will have next weekend off for graduation, but they'll return to the field immediately afterwards with a newly-added non-conference series at Oregon. The Zags and Ducks will play two games at PK Park in Eugene, the first of which comes on Monday, May 9, at 6:00 p.m.