May 19, 2016 Box Score
SAN DIEGO, Calif.-Down by three entering the eighth, the Gonzaga University baseball team used a bit of late-game magic to beat San Diego 7-6 Thursday at Fowler Park in San Diego.
The visitors stormed back by scoring four times in the eighth inning. They sent 10 men to the plate that frame, scoring their runs on four hits, two walks, and a hit by pitch. Jeff Bohling began the inning with a double, and Taylor Jones brought him in with a single to the gap in right center. Four batters and two outs later, Joey Harris brought in another run with a knock through the left side. After a walk to load the bases, the next two batters - Jace VanDeBrake and Sam Brown - each drew walks to score a run, giving Gonzaga a 7-6 lead.
Closer Wyatt Mills entered the game in the bottom of the eighth, inheriting a base runner from reliever Sam Hellinger. Mills issued a walk to put two runners on but benefited from a runner caught stealing and a strikeout to end the frame. He also walked one after a leadoff lineout in the ninth but got the next two batters out, clinching the win.
Before the comeback, Gonzaga took an early lead, scoring the game's first two runs. Designated hitter Nick Brooks opened the account with a two-out home run in the second, his hit just clearing the fence in right field. In the third inning, the Zags doubled their lead with a sacrifice fly from Jones. The senior's flyout to center plated Brown, who led the inning off with a double and then stole third base.
San Diego cut GU's lead to one in the fourth inning with an RBI single from Conyers. In the fifth, they scored three to take the lead, getting those runs on two hits, a walk, and a hit by pitch. The three-run frame gave San Diego a 4-2 advantage.
Jones got one of those runs back with a leadoff home run in the sixth inning, but the Toreros answered back with two more in the bottom of the frame, chasing starter Brandon Bailey and extending their lead to 6-3.
Title Race:
Gonzaga (32-15, 17-8 WCC) moves one game away from clinching at least a share of the West Coast Conference regular season title with the win. GU leads BYU by a game after the Cougars beat Santa Clara 8-2 at home Thursday night and are a game and a half up on Saint Mary's as the Gaels did not play. Saint Mary's begins its final WCC series Friday at Portland.
Bulldog Bites:
- With his strikeout of James Bonds in the ninth inning, Mills notched the Zags' sixth strikeout of the night and 423rd of the season. That's a program record, eclipsing the previous mark of 422 set in 2009.
- Jones had a strong night Thursday, going 3-for-3 with a single, double, home run, a walk, and three RBIs. It's his fifth game of 2016 with three or more RBIs and fourth with multiple extra-base hits.
- Entering the night on a six-game win streak, the Zags have now won seven games for the second time this season. They began the streak with two wins at Oregon, continued it with three at Loyola Marymount, and beat Washington State in Pasco, Wash., to post six consecutive victories.
- Mills picked up his seventh save of the year, pitching the final two innings of the game. It's his eighth two-inning appearance of the year but only his second two-inning save of 2016.
- Gonzaga saw its eighth two-homer game Thursday night, getting solo blasts from Brooks and Jones. Brooks hit his fifth home run of the year in the second to give the Zags a 1-0 lead. All five of his four-baggers on the year have come since April 19, in the last 14 games. Jones, meanwhile, went yard for the second time this season in the fifth.
Next Up:
The Zags and Toreros continue the final WCC series of the year Friday, May 20, with another 6:00 p.m. contest. Sophomore right-hander Eli Morgan will start for Gonzaga while San Diego has yet to announce its starter.
