SURPRISE, Ariz. – Gonzaga baseball remained resilient after losing a 2-0 lead in the ninth, scoring three in the home half to beat New Mexico 5-4 at the Sanderson Ford College Baseball Classic in Surprise, Ariz.
The Zags' (2-2) rookie trio of
Gabriel Hughes,
Reagan Haas and
William Kempner kept the Lobo (2-2) bats quiet all game long until UNM got to Kempner in the ninth for four runs. Despite facing the deficit, GU loaded the bases with three walks in the bottom of the ninth before a grounder off the bat of
Stephen Lund scored two when UNM's shortstop threw it wide to first. Hustling home on the play was
Isaac Barrera from third and
Ernie Yake all the way from second for the walk-off win.
"That's not how we would have scripted that one out, but we are happy to leave with a win," head coach
Mark Machtolf said. "That kind of resilience will serve us well going forward. We are excited to get back on the diamond this weekend down at Arkansas."
Hughes, the starter, went 6.0 innings and allowed just two hits with six strikeouts and three walks in his collegiate debut. On offense, Mason Marenco had a pair of hits, Ryan Sullivan knocked in one with a triple, Yake scored twice and Alex Brenner stole a base and scored.
The GU offense got on the board in the bottom half of Hughes' final inning. Yake led off the inning with a single, but remained at first until Sullivan came to the plate with two outs and delivered an RBI triple for a 1-0 lead.
Gonzaga pushed its lead to 2-0 in the eighth inning when pinch runner Alex Brenner came on for Tyler Rando and executed a perfect double steal with Sullivan to put runners on second and third. Brenner then sprinted home on a wild pitch.
New Mexico would not go away as the Lobos loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth and got a bases-clearing triple to take the lead. UNM added one more on a passed ball for the 4-2 lead.
In the bottom half of the ninth, GU's Marenco and Barrera drew walks to start the inning, and after a strikeout, Yake also reached on a walk. Brett Harris knocked home the first run with a sacrifice fly to set up runners and second and third for Lund's ground ball to shortstop to win it.
Gonzaga hits the road for possibly its toughest opponent of the year at No. 7 Arkansas for four games in three days in Fayetteville, Ark. Check GoZags.com for links to live coverage.
