Saturday, June 4
Blacksburg, Va.
10 a.m. PST
Gonzaga University
vs
4-seed Wright State
Gonzaga Faces Wright State Saturday at 10 A.M.
6/3/2022 8:27:00 PM | Baseball
2-seed Gonzaga (36-18) vs. 4-seed Wright State (30-26)
SATURDAY, JUNE 4 | 10 A.M. PT | BLACKSBURG, VA | ENGLISH FIELD AT ATLANTIC UNION BANK PARK
TELEVISION: ESPN+
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS
LEADING OFF
- Second-seeded Gonzaga faces fourth-seeded Wright State in the third game of the Blacksburg Regional in the 2022 NCAA Tournament in Blacksburg, Va., Saturday at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
- The Bulldogs appear in the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in program history, and for the fourth time in the last six tournaments (2022, 2021, 2018, 2016).
- The Zags clinched their second straight regular season conference title and the sixth in program history. GU has won either the WCC's regular season or tournament title in five of the last six seasons.
- Mark Machtolf was named the WCC Coach of the Year, while Connor Coballes and Cade McGee were named the league's Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.
- Gonzaga won all nine of its West Coast Conference series this season. It marks the first time the Bulldogs have ever won every WCC series in a season since joining the league in 1996. The Zags lost only one weekend series this season, dropping a pair of games to Long Beach State on the road in March.
- GU matched its record for most West Coast Conference wins in a season at 20. The Bulldogs were 20-7 in WCC play in 2017 and last season.
- The Bulldogs are 10th in the country with six shutouts and seventh with 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings. They lead the WCC in both of those stat categories. GU is 15th in the nation in Earned Run Average (3.95) and 19th in Fielding Percentage (.979).
- Gabriel Hughes is sixth in the nation with 138 strikeouts, while Trystan Vrieling is 32nd with 104. They are first and fourth in the WCC in that stat category. Hughes is 15th in strikeouts per nine innings (12.82)
- The Bulldogs' No. 10 ranking is the highest under Mark Machtolf's 19 seasons at the helm.
- GU boasts three wins over Top-5 teams this season, going 4-1 versus Top-10 competition, including a 13-6 victory at No. 2 Oregon State on April 18, the highest-ranked foe the Zags have ever beat.
BULLDOGS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
- Including this season, Gonzaga has advanced to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championships 12 times in program history. The Zags are 11-23 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Bulldogs made their first postseason 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 Zags also made appearances in an NCAA Regional in 1978, 1980, 1981, 2009, 2016, 2018 and 2021.
- Last season, second-seeded GU opened a Regional in Eugene with a 4-0 shutout win over third-seeded LSU. Top-seeded Oregon then beat the Bulldogs, 7-3. LSU eliminated Gonzaga 9-4 on Day 3.
- The Zags' two-seed this season matches the highest in program history. Before last season, GU was the No. 3 seed in three-consecutive appearances.
- Gonzaga has gone 1-2 in each of its four appearances in the NCAA Tournament since the format changed to 64 teams, winning the first game in three out of those four appearances. The Bulldogs have won their second game in a Regionals round twice in 2018 and 1978.
SERIES AT A GLANCE
- This is the first-ever meeting between Gonzaga and Wright State.
- The Zags won their only other previous meeting against a current member from the Horizon League, beating Milwaukee, 4-1, in Sacramento, Calif., on March 4, 2018.
- This is the first time Gonzaga is playing in the state of Virginia.
LAST TIME OUT
- No. 2 seed Gonzaga kept it close early in its Regional opener with No. 3 seed Columbia, but a late offensive outburst from the Lions gave them an 8-2 win and sent the Zags to the elimination bracket.
- Gabriel Hughes retired 15 of the first 20 batters he faced through the first five frames, striking out seven in total, but a five-run fifth on six hits gave Columbia a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
- Connor Coballes led the Zags' lineup with a 3-for-3 outing to go with a walk, and Tyler Rando (1 R), Shea Kramer (1 R), Cade McGee and Jack Machtolf all added a hit apiece.
ON DECK
- With a win Saturday, the Zags advance to the fifth game of the Blacksburg Regional at 10 a.m. PT Sunday, and face the Game 4 non-advancing team.
SATURDAY, JUNE 4 | 10 A.M. PT | BLACKSBURG, VA | ENGLISH FIELD AT ATLANTIC UNION BANK PARK
TELEVISION: ESPN+
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS
LEADING OFF
- Second-seeded Gonzaga faces fourth-seeded Wright State in the third game of the Blacksburg Regional in the 2022 NCAA Tournament in Blacksburg, Va., Saturday at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
- The Bulldogs appear in the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in program history, and for the fourth time in the last six tournaments (2022, 2021, 2018, 2016).
- The Zags clinched their second straight regular season conference title and the sixth in program history. GU has won either the WCC's regular season or tournament title in five of the last six seasons.
- Mark Machtolf was named the WCC Coach of the Year, while Connor Coballes and Cade McGee were named the league's Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.
- Gonzaga won all nine of its West Coast Conference series this season. It marks the first time the Bulldogs have ever won every WCC series in a season since joining the league in 1996. The Zags lost only one weekend series this season, dropping a pair of games to Long Beach State on the road in March.
- GU matched its record for most West Coast Conference wins in a season at 20. The Bulldogs were 20-7 in WCC play in 2017 and last season.
- The Bulldogs are 10th in the country with six shutouts and seventh with 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings. They lead the WCC in both of those stat categories. GU is 15th in the nation in Earned Run Average (3.95) and 19th in Fielding Percentage (.979).
- Gabriel Hughes is sixth in the nation with 138 strikeouts, while Trystan Vrieling is 32nd with 104. They are first and fourth in the WCC in that stat category. Hughes is 15th in strikeouts per nine innings (12.82)
- The Bulldogs' No. 10 ranking is the highest under Mark Machtolf's 19 seasons at the helm.
- GU boasts three wins over Top-5 teams this season, going 4-1 versus Top-10 competition, including a 13-6 victory at No. 2 Oregon State on April 18, the highest-ranked foe the Zags have ever beat.
BULLDOGS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
- Including this season, Gonzaga has advanced to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championships 12 times in program history. The Zags are 11-23 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Bulldogs made their first postseason 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 Zags also made appearances in an NCAA Regional in 1978, 1980, 1981, 2009, 2016, 2018 and 2021.
- Last season, second-seeded GU opened a Regional in Eugene with a 4-0 shutout win over third-seeded LSU. Top-seeded Oregon then beat the Bulldogs, 7-3. LSU eliminated Gonzaga 9-4 on Day 3.
- The Zags' two-seed this season matches the highest in program history. Before last season, GU was the No. 3 seed in three-consecutive appearances.
- Gonzaga has gone 1-2 in each of its four appearances in the NCAA Tournament since the format changed to 64 teams, winning the first game in three out of those four appearances. The Bulldogs have won their second game in a Regionals round twice in 2018 and 1978.
SERIES AT A GLANCE
- This is the first-ever meeting between Gonzaga and Wright State.
- The Zags won their only other previous meeting against a current member from the Horizon League, beating Milwaukee, 4-1, in Sacramento, Calif., on March 4, 2018.
- This is the first time Gonzaga is playing in the state of Virginia.
LAST TIME OUT
- No. 2 seed Gonzaga kept it close early in its Regional opener with No. 3 seed Columbia, but a late offensive outburst from the Lions gave them an 8-2 win and sent the Zags to the elimination bracket.
- Gabriel Hughes retired 15 of the first 20 batters he faced through the first five frames, striking out seven in total, but a five-run fifth on six hits gave Columbia a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
- Connor Coballes led the Zags' lineup with a 3-for-3 outing to go with a walk, and Tyler Rando (1 R), Shea Kramer (1 R), Cade McGee and Jack Machtolf all added a hit apiece.
ON DECK
- With a win Saturday, the Zags advance to the fifth game of the Blacksburg Regional at 10 a.m. PT Sunday, and face the Game 4 non-advancing team.
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
1B/OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP/3B
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
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