SPOKANE, Wash. – The Gonzaga baseball team opened their 2024 home slate with a 7-3 win over Minnesota on Thursday afternoon at Patterson Baseball Complex and Coach Steve Hertz Field. Backed by a quality start from Michael Cunneely, the Zags' offense came alive for seven runs on nine hits to snap a four-game skid in home-opening games.
 
Cunneely (W, 1-1) recorded seven innings of four-hit, three-run baseball for Gonzaga (2-9) while striking out seven batters and walking none. He was quickly backed by some run support in the second inning after GU plated a pair of runs. The Zags added three more in the fourth before Minnesota (5-6) was able to get on the board in the fifth.
 
Tommy Eisenstat notched his first home run of the season with a leadoff blast in the bottom of the sixth, and Gonzaga plated one more in the frame to take a 7-1 lead.
 
Cunneely took to the mound in the eighth having thrown just 75 pitches, but the Gophers were able to chase him after a quick single and pinch-hit home run by Charlie Sutherland. Justin Feld came on in relief to shut the door on Minnesota, working two hitless innings and allowing just one baserunner.
 
Eisenstat's final line was a 3-for-4 day with two runs scored and four RBIs, tying career-highs in each of those categories. Gage Mestas (2-for-4, RBI, R) and Donovan Ratfield (2-for-3, 2RBI, BB) each picked up multi-hit games to help fuel the Gonzaga offense.
 
QUICK STATS
- Gonzaga's home-opening win takes their record to 13-5 since the Patterson Complex opened in 2007 and snaps a four-game skid since 2020.
- Peyton Miller's eight-game hit streak was snapped Thursday afternoon. The sophomore transfer has recorded hits in nine of Gonzaga's first 11 games.
 
UP NEXT
Gonzaga and Minnesota will battle in game two Friday afternoon at 3pm. Follow @ZagBaseball on social media for all the latest updates, and check gozags.com for results and streaming information.