PORTLAND, Ore. -- Gonzaga rallied to take a 4-2 lead with three runs in the ninth inning of its West Coast Conference series finale with Portland Sunday at Joe Etzel Field, but the Pilots (22-17, 11-7 WCC) responded with three runs of their own with two outs in the bottom of the inning, including an RBI single that handed the Bulldogs (14-22, 10-8 WCC) a 5-4 loss.

With the win, the Pilots take their first WCC series against the Zags since 2015, snapping a streak of seven consecutive series wins by GU.

RHP Jacob Rutherford came one out short of a complete game in a dominant start on the mound, striking out a career-high 11 over 8 ⅔ frames while holding the Pilots to one run through his first eight and walking two in that span before walking three more and being tagged for the tying and go-ahead runs in the bottom of the ninth. LHP Bradley Mullan came in to get the final out, but Toglia came through with a bases-loaded single in his first at-bat to end the game.

Ezra Samperi drove in three of GU's four runs with a solo homer and a two-run single that gave GU the lead late to lead a nine-hit outing for GU, with Tommy Eisenstat adding a pair of knocks and Cade McGee, Brian Kalmer, Sam Stem, Enzo Apodaca and Dylan Johnson (1 RBI) picking up a hit each.

THE ACTION
After a scoreless first two innings that saw only three runners get aboard between the two teams, Samperi's solo shot – his second of the weekend – was driven to the exact same spot as his three-runner on Friday, soaring past the foul pole to put GU up 1-0. But the Pilots responded in kind in the fourth after two more scoreless half-innings, with UP's Zach Toglia driving a solo of his own to left center to tie things up again.

GU got runners on base in the sixth, seventh and eighth frames, but relievers Brock Gillis (1.1 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 K) and Jacob Dobmeier (1.2 IP, 4) both kept the Zags from capitalizing in each, with a flyout, a strikeout and a groundout ending each inning.

The Pilots found a go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth, with Jake Tsukada doubling and then reaching home in the next at-bat on a throwing error from Rutherford as he went for third. Rutherford let two more aboard with a fielder's choice and a walk, but ended the inning without any further damage with another huge punchout.

GU finally got to Dobmeier with back-to-back singles from Eisenstat – who was replaced by Sam Canton as a pinch runner - and Apodaca before Pinales produced a fielder's choice knock that advanced Canton to put runners at the corners with one out. Up next, Johnson came through with a clutch double down the right field line that tied things up and put two in scoring position, and Samperi made good on the advance with a bloop single that brought in two more for a 4-2 lead before strikeouts from McGee and Kalmer ended the inning.

Rutherford came out for the ninth inning, getting the first two outs with his 10th and 11th strikeouts of the day after allowing a leadoff double from Briley Knight but giving out another free pass to set up a game-tying two-run single from Jake Holcroft. After another walk – Rutherford's fourth in the last two frames – Mullan entered the game and produced a first-pitch strike, but Toglia's drive provided the run the Pilots needed to seal the game and the series.

UP NEXT / FOLLOW THE ACTION
Gonzaga stays in-state for some nonconference midweek action on Tuesday and Wednesday against University of Oregon at PK Park in Eugene, Ore. First pitch for both games is set for 5:05 p.m. Live stats and streaming options are available on GoZags.com — follow @ZagBaseball on Instagram and Twitter for live updates, highlights and more.