SPOKANE, Wash. — For a team playing its first game of the year with a national ranking, nothing felt intrinsically different about No. 21 Gonzaga's 7-5 victory over Washington State on Tuesday evening at Hertz Field and Patterson Baseball Complex.

Save for the number next to the name, of course.
 
Facing a WSU team they beat 9-0 in a five-inning game in Pullman two weeks prior, GU's hitters continued to flood the bases and capitalize early and held on late after a solid weekday start from RHP Alec Gomez to complete a season sweep of their in-state rivals.

A four-run first gave way to four consecutive scoreless frames, but GU finally got back on the board with three in the sixth. The defense did the rest, holding off a late rally fueled by an explosive hitting night from WSU's Kyle Manzardo.
 
The Bulldogs (27-13, 14-4 WCC) are now winners of six straight — the seventh-longest active streak in DI baseball — and ten of their last 11. It was the 18th game they've scored seven runs or more, and they are 17-1 in those games. 
 
"Great win tonight, always good to win vs regional rivals," said GU coach Mark Machtolf. "Quickly going to switch our attention to a big series with the Toreros on Friday."

With two hits, two RBI and a run, Brett Harris had the biggest hand in the win, coming through with a huge two-out RBI double with the bases loaded that yielded two runs and shifted momentum back in the Zags' favor. Mason Marenco went 3-for-4, adding two RBI of his own, and Ernie Yake pitched in two more to round out a 11-hit night that came at the hands of nine different WSU pitchers.

Gomez finished with five strikeouts while giving up six hits and walking one in those six innings, holding the Cougars to two runs in that span. RHP Jacob Rutherford and Brody Jessee combined to close out the final three innings, with Rutherford earning the save for his efforts.

The Action

Every batter for WSU made contact in the first frame, with Kodie Kolden singling in the first at-bat and Collin Montez connecting on another to push him to scoring position. Tristan Peterson redirected a fastball to third base that Harris momentarily dropped, but he quickly recovered, got a foot on base and darted a pass to first for a frame-ending double play.
 
The bottom of the inning was much more lopsided — six of GU's first seven hitters got on base, and Tyler Rando, Andrew Orzel and Mason Marenco all connected to drive in a combined four runs before WSU could pull a double play of their own to close the inning without any further damage.
 
Jake Meyer scored the first run for WSU in the third off a single from Manzardo, and Jack Smith doubled in the sixth to get Montez home for run No. 2.

But in the bottom of that frame, GU finally broke a four-inning drought with a three-run sixth that threatened to turn a healthy lead into a rout.
 
Yake flew out to get a run for Marenco, and Morrison followed up with a single that loaded the bases. With two outs on the board in the next at-bat, Harris crushed a double to deep left field that narrowly avoided a catch and brought in Kanta Kobayashi and Ryan Sullivan, who had entered as pinch runners, to make it a 7-2 game.
 
Manzardo drove in another run off Rutherford in his first frame of relief, but Montez grounded into yet another double play in the next at-bat — this time orchestrated by Marenco — to get out of the inning. Rutherford proceeded to hold WSU scoreless in the eighth, but was replaced by Jesse with one out in the top of the ninth.

With Jessee on the mound and the Cougars' backs against the wall, Manzardo delivered a two-run double that threatened to undo the Zags' work, but an out at first and a pop fly ended the game before they could get any closer.

Inside the Series

Gonzaga has faced Washington State more times than any other Pac-12 team, with an all-time record of 89-126 against the Cougars all-time. Tonight's win makes it four straight victories for GU in the series, dating back to 2019.

So far this season, Gonzaga carries a 5-2 overall record against Pac-12 opponents, with two losses to Oregon State and victories against OSU, UW and WSU.
 
Up Next
 
The Zags' homestand continues when they host San Diego this weekend for a three-game West Coast Conference series that could be the most consequential of the season. The second-place Toreros (25-9, 11-4 WCC) sit 1.5 games behind GU in the pennant race due to postponed games due to COVID earlier in the season, but have won five in a row.

Follow the Game

Friday's and Saturday's matchups, both set for a 6 p.m. first pitch, will be broadcast on SWX and ESPNU, respectively. Sunday's game at noon will be available via the WCC Network. Check GoZags.com for up-to-date game day information, live stats and more.