SPOKANE, Wash. — No. 11 Gonzaga leaned on a pair of two-run homers to jump ahead early in the first and equalize in the bottom of the seventh in its second game with Loyola Marymount at Patterson Baseball Complex, but ultimately fell with a tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth to even the West Coast Conference series at a game apiece.
"Tough loss tonight," said GU Head Coach Mark Machtolf. "We did a good job of battling back in it, and then gave them a freebie for their fifth run. We've been in this spot a lot this year, and excited to see our guys bounce back tomorrow."
In his second start since returning from injury, Dylan Johnson came up big again for the Bulldogs (27-13, 14-6), driving in a pair of runs for the second time this weekend with his homer in the seventh. Tyler Rando supplied the other blast in the bottom of the first to score himself and Savier Pinales, whose single supplied one of GU's four hits.
RHP Trystan Vrieling went six frames in his 11th start of the season, striking out eight while being tagged for four earned runs on eight hits and a walk. RHP Brody Jessee (1.1 IP, 2 K) and RHP Jacob Rutherford (1.2 IP, 3 K) closed out the rest of the game, with Jessee getting the loss for giving up the tie-breaking run in the top of the eighth.
The Action
The top of the Zags' order went to work early, with Pinales singling and Rando mashing his fourth no-doubter of the year for a quick 2-0 lead.
But the Lions gained traction after a sac fly in the third cut the lead to one, plating three more in the fifth to take their first lead of the game
The long ball paid dividends for GU again in the bottom of the seventh, with Johnson slamming his first homer of the season to score himself and Coballes and tie the game at four-all.
But the Lions kept capitalizing off of defensive miscues in the ensuing frame, retaking the lead off a sac fly and loading the bases with one out before Rutherford entered the game and struck out two straight to end the inning without any further damage.
Pinales reached first but was caught stealing at second to end the eighth, and Mason Marenco reached scoring position as a pinch runner in the bottom of the ninth, but Coballes grounded out to end the game before GU could plate a tying run.
Up Next / Follow the Game
Sunday's rubber match is set for a 12 p.m. start, with RHP William Kempner (0-1, 16 IP, 12 K, 1.69 ERA) set to make his return to the mound in a start against LMU RHP Quinn Lavelle (0-2, 47 IP, 30 K, 6.32 ERA) Live stats and streaming options are available on GoZags.com — follow @zagbaseball on Instagram and Twitter for live updates, highlights and more.
