SPOKANE, WASH. — Gonzaga baseball clinched the series win against Pacific Friday evening at Patterson Baseball Complex and Coach Steve Hertz Field at Hertz Field, sticking with the same formula that earned a series-opening win on Thursday — maintaining methodical offensive pressure as the game progressed behind a dominant showing on the mound from its starter. 
 
The Bulldogs (15-10, 6-2 WCC) got largely the same result in return, too, earning their second consecutive shutout and third of the season with a 6-0 win that puts them only half a game behind San Diego in the conference standings.
 
RHP Gabriel Hughes' blazing fastball-slider combo was relentless in seven innings of work — the 6-foot-4 righty struck out seven batters and held the Tigers (7-16, 0-8 WCC) without a run on three total hits. In those seven frames, Pacific hitters flew out or grounded out a combined 13 times.


On offense, Jack Machtolf came up big again for GU after a two-hit effort on Thursday, posting three base hits and a run. Tyler Rando added two hits of his own, including an eighth-inning grand slam that pushed GU's lead to six heading into the final frame. Four other Zags picked up a hit, with six different players scoring each of their six runs.
 
"Another very good start, this time from Hughes," said Head Coach Mark Machtolf. "We swung the bats well, and did a great job of extending the lead in the 8th — huge swing from Rando.

"We need to have a quick memory and come give them our best punch tomorrow."

Just as in Thursday's win, double plays in the first two frames by Pacific's infield slowed the Zags at first before they started gaining traction in the third. 

Jack Machtolf smacked a deep double to right center, Mason Marenco grounded out to get him on third and Grayson Sterling doubled to left to put the Zags' first run on the board. Sterling moved to third on a flyout from Yake in the next at-bat and reached home on a throwing error to take a 2-0 lead.
 
After a hitless third for Pacific, Ernie Yake and Andrew Orzel linked up for a double play in the top of the fourth that further deflated the Tigers' hopes of quick response. Thomas Gavello flew out to end the inning and Machtolf and Orzel both got on base in the next frame, but a flyout from Marenco kept GU from putting up another run.

The Zags picked up three more base hits over the next five frames, but relievers Hunter Schilperoort and Joe Solomon kept them off the board until four more runs in the eighth shifted the complexion of the game. After Brett Harris bunted to load the bases with zero outs, Rando's slam instantly tripled GU's lead from two to six with only an inning left for the Tigers to make up the distance.

Trystan Vrieling took the mound for the eighth and ninth innings, adding three strikeouts and holding Pacific to one hit in that span to secure the shutout and series win.

Inside the Series
With the win, GU is 29-8 against the Tigers all time and 14-3 in matchups at home. Prior to this series, both teams last met in 2019, a 3-0 home victory for GU that capped a 2-1 series win. The Bulldogs have never lost more than one game to the Tigers in a conference series. 

The Zags are now in sole possession of second place in the WCC standings with a 6-2 record in conference play, 0.5 games behind San Diego (18-4, 5-1), whose conference series with Pepperdine this weekend was postponed.
 
Next Up
Gonzaga has a chance to secure its second series sweep of the season in its third matchup with the Tigers on Saturday, with freshman RHP William Kempner (1-1, 23 strikeouts, 2.33 ERA) set to make his third career start against Pacific RHP Henrik Reinertsen (1-3, 19 strikeouts, 6.43 ERA).

Follow the Game
Saturday's series finale will start at 1 p.m. PST, with live streaming available via the WCC Network. Check GoZags.com for up-to-date game information and live stats.