Box Score March 22, 2018 Box Score
PROVO, Utah -- Gonzaga baseball battled BYU down the stretch, but fell 6-4 in the first of a three-game series in Provo, Utah.
Gonzaga (11-9, 2-2) outhit the Cougars (11-9, 1-3) 8-7, but a late two-run homer by BYU was the difference. GU's Justin Blatner and Alek Jacob went 4.0 innings each and held BYU without a big inning, but the offense was shutout in the final three innings.
"It was a back and forth battle, and we did a good job answering back in the sixth," head coach Mark Machtolf said. "We squandered a golden opportunity to jump up big early in the first, but their starter was able to settle in and get comfortable. That ended up being the difference in tonight's game."
Shortstop Gunnar Schubert collected one hit and two RBI in the game to push his on-base streak to all 20 games and his hit streak to 14 games. Austin Pinorini was back behind the plate and led the Zags with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI.
Schubert's two RBI came on a single in the first and a groundout in the third, giving the Zags a 2-1 lead. BYU came back to take a 4-2 lead, but Pinorini and Ernie Yake hit back-to-back RBI doubles to tie the score at 4-4.
The Cougars answered back in the bottom of the seventh with the difference-making two-run homer before keeping the GU offense without a run for the final frames.
The Zags and Cougars will play Game 2 of the three-game series on Friday at 5 p.m. PT/6 p.m. MT in Provo, Utah.
