Box Score SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Brian Kalmer's 15th homer of the year gave Gonzaga Baseball a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning of its regular season finale with Santa Clara at Schott Stadium on Saturday, but a two-run response in the bottom of the frame from the Broncos (31-18, 17-10 WCC) proved to be all the runs needed for a 5-3 sweep-sealing win.

With the result, the Bulldogs (18-33, 14-13 WCC) are set for a fourth matchup with the Broncos next week in a loser-out game in the opening round of the WCC Tournament May 24-27 in Las Vegas, with GU as the No. 6 seed and SCU as the No. 3 seed.

RHP Matthew Mueller was dominant in his first start on the mound since April 15, striking out eight and holding SCU to two runs – scored on a balk and an error – on four hits over five innings of work. RHP Nate Deschryver (0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 1 K) was tagged with the loss after the Broncos jumped on him for two runs in the sixth, and RHP Payton Graham (2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K) retired seven batters in a row to close the eighth and ninth.

Kalmer's three-run blast was GU's only scoring play of the game, with Enzo Apodaca, Connor Coballes and Mason Marenco adding a hit each.

THE ACTION
Mueller was shutdown over the first three innings even as GU's bats struggled to get going, retiring nine of the first ten he faced – four of which on punchouts. After back-to-back singles to lead off the fourth, the Broncos took advantage of a pair of miscues to plate two runs, scoring on a balk and a throwing error to third before Mueller struck out three more to halt the advance and crack seven punchouts on the day.

Mueller ended a scoreless fifth with his eight K of the outing despite a double from Ben Steck, and the Zags finally found some traction on the basepaths in the top of the sixth.

A one-out infield single from Coballes got things started, reaching second on a wild pitch as Apodaca battled back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk and get the tying run aboard with the Zags' leading slugger up to bat. Kalmer delivered, mashing his 15th no-doubter of the season to give GU a 3-2 lead with one swing of the bat. Stem drew a walk in the next AB and stole second, but two outs with balls in play in succession kept him from advancing further.

Deschryver retired the first two he faced with a grounder and a strikeout, but was tagged for an equalizing run on a solo shot from Coleman Brigman and churned out the go-ahead after three straight walks. Graham took the mound to produce the third out, extending the Broncos' lead to 5-3 with another walk before a fielder's choice ended the frame.

After a single from Marenco on an 0-1 fastball, Pinales replaced him at first with a fielder's choice grounder to bring up the top of the order with two outs. Coballes got out of an eight-pitch AB with a walk to get the tying run aboard at first yet again, but both were stranded after Apodaca struck out in the next at-bat.

Graham kept things tight through the rest of his time on the mound – tossing a 1-2-3 frame that included back-to-back strikeouts – but the Zags were held off in kind in the top of the eighth to leave them with just three outs to make up the difference. Graham retired the side yet again, generating a popup, a liner and a grounder in succession to keep the Broncos from pulling away further. After a pair of 0-2 grounders left GU with just one out in the bottom of the ninth, Marenco fouled off three two-out pitches and worked a full count but struck out looking to end the game.

UP NEXT / FOLLOW THE ACTION
The No. 6-seed Bulldogs face the Broncos for a fourth time in the opening round of the West Coast Conference Tournament at Las Vegas Ballpark at 3 p.m. (PT) on May 24, with the loser eliminated and the winner advancing to double-elimination action. 

A win in the first round would set up a matchup with No. 1-seed LMU (28-22, 20-6 WCC) on Thursday at 3 p.m.

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