Friday, June 4
Eugene, Ore.
7 p.m.
Gonzaga University
vs
3-seed Louisiana State
Photo by: Mark Natale
BSB: Zags Face No. 3 LSU in Eugene Regional Friday
6/2/2021 5:39:00 PM | Baseball
Bulldogs No. 2 seed, highest in program history
EUGENE, Ore. – The No. 2-seeded Gonzaga baseball team kicks off the 2021 NCAA Division I Baseball Championships Friday against No. 3-seeded LSU at 7 p.m. inside PK Park as part of the Eugene Regional.
(2) GONZAGA (33-17) vs. (3) LSU (34-22)
FRIDAY, JUNE 4 | 7 P.M. PT | EUGENE, ORE. | PK PARK
ESPN3
Probables
June 4 | 7 p.m. PT
RHP Alek Jacob (7-1, 2.82 ERA, 76.2 IP, 103 K) vs. RHP Landon Marceaux (6-5, 2.26 ERA, 91.2 IP, 107 K)
Series Review
Friday will be the first time in program history that the Zags have faced LSU. Gonzaga carries a 12-15 overall record against current SEC programs. Gonzaga has most often played Arkansas with a 5-7 overall mark; GU first faced off against the Razorbacks back in 1990. Arkansas is currently on a four-game win streak against the Bulldogs (all in 2020), but from 2013-2016 GU put together a four-game win streak over the Razorbacks, including three true road games. The other SEC opponent the Zags have most often faced is Missouri; GU carries a 5-2 mark over the Tigers since 2007.
About the Tigers
LSU carries a 34-22 overall record and finished the regular season with a 13-17 mark in the SEC. LSU, which secured a No. 9 seed, fell in the SEC tournament to No. 8 Georgia, 4-1. Four players earned all-SEC honors, led by freshman first baseman Tre' Morgan who earned Second Team All-SEC, Freshman All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team honors. Dylan Crews and Landon Marceaux also earned Second Team All-SEC honors while Jordan Thompson and Crews were selected Freshman All-SEC.
As a team, LSU carries a .273 batting average with 527 hits, 353 RBI and 378 runs on the year with 80 homers on the season. Morgan leads the Tigers with a .370 batting average with 37 RBI and a team-high 81 hits.
On the mound, the Tigers carry a 4.44 ERA as a team, with RHP Marceaux leading the squad with a 2.26 ERA and a 6-5 overall record in 91.2 innings pitched and 107 strikeouts.
This season LSU has six wins against Top 25 opponents, including No. 1 Arkansas. The Tigers squeezed out a 5-4 win over the Razorbacks on May 1 at home. LSU also claimed victories against: #2 Mississippi State, #10 South Carolina, No. 12 Ole Miss and #18 Louisiana Tech.
Zags in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championships
Including this season, Gonzaga has advanced to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championships 11 times in program history. The Bulldogs made their first post-season NCAA appearance back in 1971 when they advanced to the NCAA Districts; Gonzaga has appeared in three NCAA Districts in 1971, 1973 and 1974. In 1976, Gonzaga advanced to its first-ever NCAA Regional. That year, the Bulldogs traveled to Tempe, Ariz., and was eliminated after two losses--one to ASU and another to Minnesota. The Bulldogs also made appearances in an NCAA Regional in 1978, 1980, 1981, 2009, 2016 and 2018.
The last time Gonzaga played in an NCAA Regional was in 2018. That year, the Bulldogs secured the No. 3 seed in the Minneapolis Regional and opened against No. 2 UCLA. GU fell 6-5 in the first game, but stayed alive with an 8-2 win over Canisius. UCLA topped the Zags once more 10-4 to eliminate GU from the tournament.
GU's No. 2 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament is the highest in program history. Since 2009, Gonzaga has secured the No. 3 seed in three-consecutive appearances.
WCC Champs
The Zags needed one win to clinch the WCC Regular-Season Title in their final regular-season title of the year last weekend, and they secured it in commanding fashion with a 10-0 rout over visiting San Diego on Thursday, May 27. RHP Alek Jacob pitched seven scoreless innings for GU with eight strikeouts while Trystan Vrieling came in in relief, pitching the final two innings allowing just two hits with one strikeout. The Bulldogs finished with 11 hits, 10 runs and 10 RBI, led by Brett Harris with five RBI, three hits and one run.
The title was Gonzaga fifth WCC Regular-Season Championship in program history, and the first since 2017. Gonzaga had previously secured the regular-season title in 2009, 2013, 2016, and 2017, all of which have come under the direction of current head coach Mark Machtolf. The Zags also have a WCC Tournament title to their name, which they won back in 2018.
West Coast Conference Postseason Awards
Gonzaga collected nine all-conference player awards and one coaching award, the most in a single season in program history. Head Coach Mark Machtolf was named the WCC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career, all since 2009, while Zags' ace Alek Jacob became the sixth GU thrower to be named WCC Pitcher of the Year and the first since 2013. Jacob recorded Gonzaga's fifth-ever no-hitter and the first since 1990, and the righty also cracked 100 K's on the season. He was never tagged for a loss in any of his WCC Starts, finishing with an ERA of 2.18 in 11 appearances in conference play. Third baseman Brett Harris also collected a major postseason award as he was named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, only the second-ever Zag to earn the award. Both Jacob and Harris were also named to the All-WCC First Team.
RHP Gabriel Hughes and catcher Tyler Rando were selected to the All-WCC Second Team, while five Zags earned All-WCC Honorable Mention: Brody Jessee, Michael Spellacy, Trystan Vrieling, Grayson Sterlingn and Andrew Orzel. Vrieling, Sterling and Hughes were also named to the WCC All-Freshman team as well.
Zags at a Glance
- Brett Harris leads the Zags in batting average (.353) and OPS (1.039), while Ernie Yake ranks second with a .321 batting average.
- Tyler Rando leads the fielding effort with a team-high 320 putouts with 16 assists and a .994 fielding percentage. Andrew Orzel ranks second with 220 putouts, 49 assists and a .989 fielding percentage while Guthrie Morrison has 123 putouts.
- On the mound, Alek Jacob leads the team and ranks 45th nationally in strikeouts with 103 with a 2.82 ERA. Gabriel Hughes ranks second on the team with 67 Ks in 61.1 innings pitched while Trystan Vrieling ranks third with 56 strikeouts in 40.0 innings pitched.
- As a squad, GU carries a .279 batting average with 478 total hits, 280 RBI with a .406 slugging percentage and .379 on-base percentage. The Bulldogs have stolen 38 bases on 57 attempts, led by Guthrie Morrison with eight, with a .981 fielding percentage. As a team, Gonzaga has 36 double plays on the season.
National Rankings
This season, Gonzaga has continued to rise in the national rankings. On May 24th, Gonzaga earned its highest ranking since 1980, coming in at No. 14 in the D1Baseball.com Top 25 poll. That week, the Zags ranked No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 20 in the Baseball America Top 25 and 29th in Collegiate Baseball's NCAA Div. I Baseball Poll. Following back-to-back losses to San Diego to close the regular season, GU dropped to No. 22 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 25 in the D1Baseball.com Top 25. Gonzaga earned its first national ranking of the season on April 26, earning a No. 21 ranking from D1Baseball.com. The Zags finished the week prior with an unblemished 4-0 record, starting with a Tuesday afternoon win at Washington (April 20) and ending with a series sweep over BYU at Patterson Baseball Complex and Coach Steve Hertz Field (April 22-24). Since then, Gonzaga was forced into a two-week pause due to COVID-19 protocols, but in its first series back from the pause the Zags swept Portland on the road by scores of 12-4, 6-3 and 5-3 (10 inn.). The Bulldogs didn't skip a beat, and the national polls took notice. On Monday, May 17, the Zags jumped to No. 17 in the D1Baseball Top 25, to No. 19 in Collegiate Baseball Top 25 and broke into the top 25 in Baseball America, coming in at No. 25. Gonzaga's No. 17 ranking is the highest ranking for GU since a No. 19 ranking in 2017, and it's the highest since GU earned a No. 9 ranking from Collegiate Baseball back in 1980.
Gonzaga earned its first-ever national ranking during the 1971 season, earning a No. 15 ranking by Collegiate Baseball. GU's highest-ever national ranking came in the 1980 season when the Bulldogs were ranked ninth by Collegiate Baseball. Since 2010, Gonzaga has been ranked 19 times, reaching as high as 19th in both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball national rankings. This season, GU has five wins over ranked opponents (Dallas Baptist, TCU and Oregon State), and has had an RPI ranking as high as No. 27 this season.
Nationally Speaking...
- Currently the Zags are 27th in the RPI rankings (for games through May 30) and rank the highest out of any WCC teams. San Diego ranks 63rd, while San Francisco ranks 121st and Pepperdine ranks 138th.
- Brett Harris has been hit by pitches 23 times on the year to rank tied for fifth nationally. Two players currently tie for the national lead with 26 HBPs.
- As a team, GU batters have been hit by pitches 96 times; that number ranks sixth in the country. Campbell leads the nation with 121 HBPs.
- The Bulldogs also rank among the top 10 nationally in fielding percentage with a .982 fielding percentage. That number ranks eighth nationally.
- With seven shutouts on the year, Gonzaga ranks tied for fourth nationally.
- The Zags have eight shutouts on the year to rank tied for second nationally. Central Michigan leads the nation with 10 shutouts.
Ernie Yake Announced as 2021 Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist
On May 24, Gonzaga shortstop Ernie Yake was named a semifinalist for the 2021 Books Wallace Award, given annually to college baseball's best shortstop. The final winners' announcement is yet to be determined.
(2) GONZAGA (33-17) vs. (3) LSU (34-22)
FRIDAY, JUNE 4 | 7 P.M. PT | EUGENE, ORE. | PK PARK
ESPN3
Probables
June 4 | 7 p.m. PT
RHP Alek Jacob (7-1, 2.82 ERA, 76.2 IP, 103 K) vs. RHP Landon Marceaux (6-5, 2.26 ERA, 91.2 IP, 107 K)
Series Review
Friday will be the first time in program history that the Zags have faced LSU. Gonzaga carries a 12-15 overall record against current SEC programs. Gonzaga has most often played Arkansas with a 5-7 overall mark; GU first faced off against the Razorbacks back in 1990. Arkansas is currently on a four-game win streak against the Bulldogs (all in 2020), but from 2013-2016 GU put together a four-game win streak over the Razorbacks, including three true road games. The other SEC opponent the Zags have most often faced is Missouri; GU carries a 5-2 mark over the Tigers since 2007.
About the Tigers
LSU carries a 34-22 overall record and finished the regular season with a 13-17 mark in the SEC. LSU, which secured a No. 9 seed, fell in the SEC tournament to No. 8 Georgia, 4-1. Four players earned all-SEC honors, led by freshman first baseman Tre' Morgan who earned Second Team All-SEC, Freshman All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team honors. Dylan Crews and Landon Marceaux also earned Second Team All-SEC honors while Jordan Thompson and Crews were selected Freshman All-SEC.
As a team, LSU carries a .273 batting average with 527 hits, 353 RBI and 378 runs on the year with 80 homers on the season. Morgan leads the Tigers with a .370 batting average with 37 RBI and a team-high 81 hits.
On the mound, the Tigers carry a 4.44 ERA as a team, with RHP Marceaux leading the squad with a 2.26 ERA and a 6-5 overall record in 91.2 innings pitched and 107 strikeouts.
This season LSU has six wins against Top 25 opponents, including No. 1 Arkansas. The Tigers squeezed out a 5-4 win over the Razorbacks on May 1 at home. LSU also claimed victories against: #2 Mississippi State, #10 South Carolina, No. 12 Ole Miss and #18 Louisiana Tech.
Zags in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championships
Including this season, Gonzaga has advanced to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championships 11 times in program history. The Bulldogs made their first post-season NCAA appearance back in 1971 when they advanced to the NCAA Districts; Gonzaga has appeared in three NCAA Districts in 1971, 1973 and 1974. In 1976, Gonzaga advanced to its first-ever NCAA Regional. That year, the Bulldogs traveled to Tempe, Ariz., and was eliminated after two losses--one to ASU and another to Minnesota. The Bulldogs also made appearances in an NCAA Regional in 1978, 1980, 1981, 2009, 2016 and 2018.
The last time Gonzaga played in an NCAA Regional was in 2018. That year, the Bulldogs secured the No. 3 seed in the Minneapolis Regional and opened against No. 2 UCLA. GU fell 6-5 in the first game, but stayed alive with an 8-2 win over Canisius. UCLA topped the Zags once more 10-4 to eliminate GU from the tournament.
GU's No. 2 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament is the highest in program history. Since 2009, Gonzaga has secured the No. 3 seed in three-consecutive appearances.
WCC Champs
The Zags needed one win to clinch the WCC Regular-Season Title in their final regular-season title of the year last weekend, and they secured it in commanding fashion with a 10-0 rout over visiting San Diego on Thursday, May 27. RHP Alek Jacob pitched seven scoreless innings for GU with eight strikeouts while Trystan Vrieling came in in relief, pitching the final two innings allowing just two hits with one strikeout. The Bulldogs finished with 11 hits, 10 runs and 10 RBI, led by Brett Harris with five RBI, three hits and one run.
The title was Gonzaga fifth WCC Regular-Season Championship in program history, and the first since 2017. Gonzaga had previously secured the regular-season title in 2009, 2013, 2016, and 2017, all of which have come under the direction of current head coach Mark Machtolf. The Zags also have a WCC Tournament title to their name, which they won back in 2018.
West Coast Conference Postseason Awards
Gonzaga collected nine all-conference player awards and one coaching award, the most in a single season in program history. Head Coach Mark Machtolf was named the WCC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career, all since 2009, while Zags' ace Alek Jacob became the sixth GU thrower to be named WCC Pitcher of the Year and the first since 2013. Jacob recorded Gonzaga's fifth-ever no-hitter and the first since 1990, and the righty also cracked 100 K's on the season. He was never tagged for a loss in any of his WCC Starts, finishing with an ERA of 2.18 in 11 appearances in conference play. Third baseman Brett Harris also collected a major postseason award as he was named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, only the second-ever Zag to earn the award. Both Jacob and Harris were also named to the All-WCC First Team.
RHP Gabriel Hughes and catcher Tyler Rando were selected to the All-WCC Second Team, while five Zags earned All-WCC Honorable Mention: Brody Jessee, Michael Spellacy, Trystan Vrieling, Grayson Sterlingn and Andrew Orzel. Vrieling, Sterling and Hughes were also named to the WCC All-Freshman team as well.
Zags at a Glance
- Brett Harris leads the Zags in batting average (.353) and OPS (1.039), while Ernie Yake ranks second with a .321 batting average.
- Tyler Rando leads the fielding effort with a team-high 320 putouts with 16 assists and a .994 fielding percentage. Andrew Orzel ranks second with 220 putouts, 49 assists and a .989 fielding percentage while Guthrie Morrison has 123 putouts.
- On the mound, Alek Jacob leads the team and ranks 45th nationally in strikeouts with 103 with a 2.82 ERA. Gabriel Hughes ranks second on the team with 67 Ks in 61.1 innings pitched while Trystan Vrieling ranks third with 56 strikeouts in 40.0 innings pitched.
- As a squad, GU carries a .279 batting average with 478 total hits, 280 RBI with a .406 slugging percentage and .379 on-base percentage. The Bulldogs have stolen 38 bases on 57 attempts, led by Guthrie Morrison with eight, with a .981 fielding percentage. As a team, Gonzaga has 36 double plays on the season.
National Rankings
This season, Gonzaga has continued to rise in the national rankings. On May 24th, Gonzaga earned its highest ranking since 1980, coming in at No. 14 in the D1Baseball.com Top 25 poll. That week, the Zags ranked No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 20 in the Baseball America Top 25 and 29th in Collegiate Baseball's NCAA Div. I Baseball Poll. Following back-to-back losses to San Diego to close the regular season, GU dropped to No. 22 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 25 in the D1Baseball.com Top 25. Gonzaga earned its first national ranking of the season on April 26, earning a No. 21 ranking from D1Baseball.com. The Zags finished the week prior with an unblemished 4-0 record, starting with a Tuesday afternoon win at Washington (April 20) and ending with a series sweep over BYU at Patterson Baseball Complex and Coach Steve Hertz Field (April 22-24). Since then, Gonzaga was forced into a two-week pause due to COVID-19 protocols, but in its first series back from the pause the Zags swept Portland on the road by scores of 12-4, 6-3 and 5-3 (10 inn.). The Bulldogs didn't skip a beat, and the national polls took notice. On Monday, May 17, the Zags jumped to No. 17 in the D1Baseball Top 25, to No. 19 in Collegiate Baseball Top 25 and broke into the top 25 in Baseball America, coming in at No. 25. Gonzaga's No. 17 ranking is the highest ranking for GU since a No. 19 ranking in 2017, and it's the highest since GU earned a No. 9 ranking from Collegiate Baseball back in 1980.
Gonzaga earned its first-ever national ranking during the 1971 season, earning a No. 15 ranking by Collegiate Baseball. GU's highest-ever national ranking came in the 1980 season when the Bulldogs were ranked ninth by Collegiate Baseball. Since 2010, Gonzaga has been ranked 19 times, reaching as high as 19th in both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball national rankings. This season, GU has five wins over ranked opponents (Dallas Baptist, TCU and Oregon State), and has had an RPI ranking as high as No. 27 this season.
Nationally Speaking...
- Currently the Zags are 27th in the RPI rankings (for games through May 30) and rank the highest out of any WCC teams. San Diego ranks 63rd, while San Francisco ranks 121st and Pepperdine ranks 138th.
- Brett Harris has been hit by pitches 23 times on the year to rank tied for fifth nationally. Two players currently tie for the national lead with 26 HBPs.
- As a team, GU batters have been hit by pitches 96 times; that number ranks sixth in the country. Campbell leads the nation with 121 HBPs.
- The Bulldogs also rank among the top 10 nationally in fielding percentage with a .982 fielding percentage. That number ranks eighth nationally.
- With seven shutouts on the year, Gonzaga ranks tied for fourth nationally.
- The Zags have eight shutouts on the year to rank tied for second nationally. Central Michigan leads the nation with 10 shutouts.
Ernie Yake Announced as 2021 Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist
On May 24, Gonzaga shortstop Ernie Yake was named a semifinalist for the 2021 Books Wallace Award, given annually to college baseball's best shortstop. The final winners' announcement is yet to be determined.
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballTuesday, June 30
Monday, June 29
Monday, June 29
Friday, June 26
