Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Gonzaga baseball team fell 5-4 to No. 22 Washington on Tuesday night after giving up three runs in the top of the final frame.

The Huskies stormed ahead in the top of the ninth, scoring three runs on four hits off reliever Sam Hellinger. Jack Meggs tied the game with a two-RBI double to centerfield, and John Naff doubled to left two batters later for the go-ahead score.

Gonzaga had taken a 4-2 lead into the top of the ninth after posting single tallies in the first, third, fourth, and seventh innings. Second baseman Justin Jacobs drove in two of those runs, one on a first-inning double and the other on a sacrifice fly in the third. Gonzaga got its third run with a solo blast from Jake Roberts in the fourth, and a seventh-inning single from Sam Brown.

After the third inning, the game was halted for more than 90 minutes due to heavy rain that had progressed during the first three frames. The Zags led 2-1 heading into the delay.

The stoppage of play forced both starters - Daniel Bies for Gonzaga, Chris Micheles for UW - from the game, but reliever Mac Lardner pitched 4.1 solid innings of work allowing just one run on four hits.

Gonzaga entered the delay with a 2-1 lead with Jacobs' two RBI, plating the first in the first inning with a double down the right field line. Third baseman Jeff Bohling gave the Zags a one-out baserunner in the frame with a single up the middle, and he advanced to second on another base knock from Tyler Frost.

In the third, Bohling drew a leadoff walk from UW starter Chris Micheles, and he sped to third base on a single from Frost, beating out a throw from centerfield. Jacobs then lifted a 1-1 pitch out to Meggs in center, allowing the redshirt senior to score from third.

Washington scored on an RBI double from Willie MacIver in the second inning, and the Huskies missed an opportunity to add more runs in the third. They loaded the bases with one out in the frame, but Bies got out of the jam with a strikeout and a ground ball to Bohling at third.

Once play resumed, both teams replaced their starting pitchers. Lardner retired the side in the top of the fourth inning, but UW reliever Leo Nierenberg surrendered a solo home run to Roberts in the Zags' half of the frame.

The Huskies added a run in the seventh, but the Bulldogs got that back in the bottom of the frame. Shortstop Gunnar Schubert led off with a single, and he moved to third on a wild pitch and a fly ball to centerfield. Left fielder Sam Brown then bounced an 0-1 pitch through the left side of a drawn-in infield, letting the transfer from Auburn, Wash., scamper home for a 4-2 Zag lead.

Lardner got the first out of the eighth inning, but Hellinger came in to register the final two outs. In the ninth, however, the senior from Seattle gave up three runs on four hits before striking out Josh Cushing to end the inning.

Bulldog Bites:
Roberts' fourth-inning blast was his first home run of the season and first since May 10, 2016, against Oregon. He's the fifth Zag to hit a home run this season.

The game was delayed for 1:48 after the third inning due to rain. The rain began to fall in the second inning but picked up in intensity during the third to cause the delay.

Jacobs tallied his fifth multi-RBI game of the season tying Frost for the team lead. He's now driven in four runs in four games against Washington during his Gonzaga career.

Zag Speak:
Assistant Coach Brandon Harmon:
"It's just one of those nights where they got a couple of big hits. You tip your cap to them a bit. Tomorrow we just need to come out to play and be resilient. We have to find a way to flip the page and make this a positive. There's going to be some times where we're going to have some heartache in league play, too, but you still have to come out the next day and have it not affect you."

Next Up:
The Zags and Washington will wrap up the brief intrastate series on Wednesday, March 22. First pitch for the series finale will come at 6:05 p.m. at Patterson Baseball Complex & Washington Trust Field. That contest will be the first of six games this season shown locally on SWX.