Box Score SPOKANE, Wash. – No. 17 Gonzaga was down by as much as four in the second leg of its series with San Francisco at Patterson Baseball Complex and Coach Steve Hertz Field on Saturday night, but the Bulldogs (31-14, 18-4) held the Dons (22-26, 15-10) scoreless for the final five frames of the game, battling back behind a four-run fifth and breaking the tie in the eighth to clinch its sixth-straight series win over a West Coast Conference opponent in thrilling fashion.

A four-run fourth for the Bulldogs saw each run scored consecutively by loaded-bases walks that tied it up at 5-all, and Ernie Yake scored a run off a wild pitch after a big double to retake a lead GU wouldn't give back.
 
While the Zags made their comeback, a trio of relievers got them through that five-inning scoreless stretch to close the game.
 
After a rocky third and fourth that yielded a combined five runs for the Dons, Michael Spellacy cued three of those scoreless innings, striking out two, walking one and giving up only three hits for the rest of his time on the mound. Brody Jessee took over in the eighth and earned the win, striking out two consecutively to close the inning, and Trystan Vrieling closed the ninth without a hit for the save, adding a game-sealing strikeout.

"Great team win tonight," Head Coach Mark Machtolf said. "Wasn't pretty but we got it done. Played some elite infield defense tonight. The bullpen did a great job of keeping us in it."
 
Ernie Yake and Brett Harris paced an eight-hit night for GU with a run and two hits apiece, and Grayson Sterling finished with two RBI and a run to lead five other Zags who picked up a hit.
 
The Action
 
Despite two base hits from the Dons in the first frame, Luke Keaschall was caught stealing second and Mason Marenco, Ernie Yake and Andrew Orzel put together a double play to end the frame without a score.
 
After lineouts from Yake and Brett Harris in the bottom of the inning, Tyler Rando and Orzel were both walked consecutively to push Rando to scoring position. Grayson Sterling connected on a single that got Rando home for the first run of the game, but Orzel was put out at second to end the frame.
 
In the third, Keaschall hit a solo homer to tie the game and Jordan Vujovich slammed a careening triple that scored Jack Winkler and Ryan Davis — who both reached base on walks — for a 3-1 advantage. 
 
RHP Michael Spellacy entered the game in response, getting the Bulldogs out of the inning without any further damage despite runners on first and third. But the Dons kept producing in the fourth — Foster homered to drive in two more runs before Spellacy could pick up a strikeout to end the frame with GU down 5-1.
 
A four-run fifth that shifted momentum in GU's favor only saw two total hits. The Zags loaded the bases with one out, and Sterling, Marenco, Jack Machtolf and Riley Livingston were walked in succession to tie up the game before Livingston was thrown out at second off a Yake at-bat.
 
Spellacy held the Dons scoreless for the second frame in a row in the sixth to give GU an opportunity to break the tie in the bottom of the inning. Harris reached third on a double play after a deep double moved him into scoring position, but Sterling was put out at first to nullify the advance.
 
Jessee entered the game with one out in the eighth and struck out Harris Williams and Nick Yovetich to keep the score deadlocked, throwing only one ball in those at-bats.
 
Yake doubled in the bottom of the inning and Harris and Rando were walked to load the bases yet again. A wild pitch got Yake home to break the tie, but Sterling was struck out to strand the other two on base going into the final frame.
 
Munoz got on base to start the ninth and advanced to third on a bunt and a groundout to threaten a tying run with two outs, but Vrieling struck out Davis looking to end the game.
 
Inside the Series
 
With the win, the Zags mark a program-record five straight wins against the Dons — a 36-34-1 all-time advantage. The two teams were tied up all-time heading this weekend.
 
USF's last win came in 2018, a 3-0 shutout at Benedetti Diamond in San Francisco. The two teams also have a rare tie on their record — a 2-2 final that took place in the finale of a three-game road series in 2010.
 
WCC Outlook
 
With the series win in hand and second-place San Diego's loss to fourth-place Portland, the Zags move to 2.5 games ahead of the Toreros (31-11, 17-7 WCC) ahead of their three-game WCC series next weekend that will be the regular-season finale for both teams.
 
Next Up
 
The Zags can go for their third straight WCC series sweep in the series finale on Sunday, with RHP Alec Gomez (5-1, 3.30 ERA, 43.2 IP, 27 K) slated to start on the mound vs. a to-be-announced starter for the Dons. 
 
Follow the Game
 
First pitch for game three on Sunday is set for noon. Live streaming will be available via the WCC Network. Check GoZags.com for up-to-date game day information, live stats and more.