Box Score March 5, 2018 Box Score
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gonzaga baseball got home runs from
Austin Pinorini and
Jake Vieth, along with a team effort from the pitching staff, to grab a 6-3 win at Sacramento State on Monday.
Wrapping a weekend that was originally scheduled for Spokane, the Zags made the most of their location and opponent change, winning all three games in Sacramento. Two wins came against host Sac State and one came against original home opponent Milwaukee.
The win was GU's fourth in a row (6-4) and featured four different Zags with at least two hits along with 5.1 innings of one-run ball from the bullpen. Second baseman Carson Breshears went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Vieth, Gunnar Schubert and Branson Trube each collected two hits.
"It was a good collective effort to sweep a series on the road," head coach Mark Machtolf said. "Pinorini and Vieth both had big blasts, but I thought both Trube and Schubert had big-time team at-bats that scored runs. On the mound, we were able to keep us in the game all day and make some big pitches. It's nice to fly home with a win."
On the mound, starter Mac Lardner went 4.2 innings, giving up just two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and one walk. From there the bullpen took over with Taylor Davis going 2.0 innings and collecting four strikeouts, Calvin LeBrun getting GU out of a jam with an out to end the seventh and Casey Legumina going the final 2.0 innings without allowing a run.
Sac State took a 2-0 lead through the second, but Pinorini came up with a runner on and promptly tied the score with a homer in the third. The Hornets answered in the bottom of the sixth with a run, but GU was right there in the next half inning to take control of the game.
In the seventh, the Zags scored three, getting an RBI double from Jace VanDeBrake, an RBI infield single by Schubert and an RBI groundout from Trube.
Vieth capped the scoring in the top of the ninth with his second home run of the season, a solo shot to right-center.
The Zags continue what is now a 16-game road swing to start the season in Houston, Texas, where they will face Rice for four games. The Zags and Owls will start the series on March 9th at 4:30 p.m. PT.
