Tuesday, May 14
Spokane, Wash.
6 p.m.
Gonzaga University
vs
Southern California
Baseball Hosts Southern California on Tuesday
5/13/2024 1:07:00 PM | Baseball
USC will make their first-ever trip to Spokane as the two teams meet for the first time since 1989
Gonzaga (19-26, 14-7 WCC) vs. Southern California (24-27, 14-12 Pac-12)
TUESDAY, MAY 14 | 6 P.M. | PATTERSON BASEBALL COMPLEX AND COACH STEVE HERTZ FIELD | SPOKANE
LIVE STREAM | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS
RH Finbar O'Brien (0-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. RH Garren Rizzo (0-2, 7.41 ERA)
TUESDAY, MAY 14 | 6 P.M. | PATTERSON BASEBALL COMPLEX AND COACH STEVE HERTZ FIELD | SPOKANE
LIVE STREAM | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS
RH Finbar O'Brien (0-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. RH Garren Rizzo (0-2, 7.41 ERA)
LEADING OFF
- Gonzaga opens their final week of the 2024 regular season on Tuesday against USC at 6pm.
- GU and USC have not met since the 1989 season when the Trojans won 1-0 in Los Angeles.
- USC is making their first-ever trip to Spokane, with all previous 11 meetings happening down in LA.
- Gonzaga is coming off an eight-day break after taking on No. 7 Oregon State last week at home. OSU defeated GU 20-13.
- Gonzaga is locked into the West Coast Conference Tournament May 22-25, and can earn as high as the No. 3 seed.
- Since the WCC Tournament format began in 2013, Gonzaga has appeared in all but one of those tournaments.
- Gonzaga is coming off a series win at Pacific last weekend, taking game one 11-7 before winning the rubber match 10-9.
- In Sunday's win at Pacific, Gonzaga erased a five-run deficit to complete the comeback win and take the series.
- Head Coach Mark Machtolf has 596 career wins, needing four over the last five games to eclipse the 600 mark.
- Justin Feld is eighth in the West Coast Conference in ERA (3.42) with a 2.41 ERA in WCC play, the fourth-lowest WCC mark.
- Jordan Hamberg extended his on-base streak to 17 games against Oregon State, going 1-for-3 with three runs scored.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
- USC is coming off a series win at Washington State last weekend, taking games two and three by scores of 9-4 and 10-3.
- The Trojans are currently sixth in the Pac-12 Standings and are locked in for a spot at the Pac-12 Tournament May 21-25.
- Among the Pac-12 ranks, USC's team batting average (.266) ranks ninth, while their earned run average ranks sixth (5.18).
- USC's .975 fielding percentage ranks second in the Pac-12 averaging just 0.9 errors per nine innings.
- KaiKea Harrison leads all qualified USC hitters with a .323 batting average, slugging .452 over 28 games this season.
- Ryan Jackson has started in all but one of USC's games this season, batting .318 with 35 RBI while leading the team in hits (64).
ON DECK
ON DECK
- Gonzaga will wrap its 2024 regular season at home against Pepperdine this weekend at home
GONZAGA LOCKED IN FOR WCC TOURNAMENT
GONZAGA LOCKED IN FOR WCC TOURNAMENT
- For the seventh straight season, Gonzaga will make an apperance at the West Coast Conference Tournament in Las Vegas.
- Since the tournament format began in 2013, Gonzaga has appeared in all but one of those tournaments.
- Of the nine WCC Tournaments since 2013 (no 2020 or 2021), Gonzaga's eight appearances are the most (LMU - 7).
WHERE WE CURRENTLY RANK IN THE WCC
WHERE WE CURRENTLY RANK IN THE WCC
- Justin Feld is eighth in the WCC in ERA (3.42), tenth in opposing batting average (.246), and second in earned runs allowed (19).
- Liam Paddack is sixth in the WCC in opp. batting average (.222) and sixth in strikeouts (70).
- Erik Hoffberg is tied for second in the WCC in saves with 5, while Daniel Sotelo is tied for ninth with 3.
GU WINS RUBBER MATCH, TAKES SERIES AT PACIFIC
GU WINS RUBBER MATCH, TAKES SERIES AT PACIFIC
- After splitting the first two games, Gonzaga defeated Pacific on Sunday to earn the series win 11-7, 2-8, 10-9.
- On Friday, the Zags and Tigers traded offensive blows before GU pulled away, using three three-run innings to fuel their 11-7 win.
- In game two, Pacific took advantage of 11 walks from Gonzaga pitchers to earn an 8-2 win and knots the series at one.
- In the finale,Gonzaga trailed 8-3 after the third inning, but erased the five-run deficit to complete the comeback win.
FORMER ZAG HARRIS CALLED UP BY OAKLAND ATHLETICS, SHINES IN SECOND-CAREER GAME
FORMER ZAG HARRIS CALLED UP BY OAKLAND ATHLETICS, SHINES IN SECOND-CAREER GAME
- Former Gonzaga infielder Brett Harris was called up to the major leagues by the Oakland Athletics to make his debut on Friday.
- Harris becomes the 30th former Zag to make it to the big leagues and the 15th under Head Coach Mark Machtolf.
- After going hitless on Friday, Harris hit two home runs for his first two MLB hits as Oakland dominated Miami 20-4.
- Harris is the second GU alum in the 2021 draft to make his major league debut (Alek Jacob - San Diego Padres on Jul. 14, 2023).
ZAGS STUMBLE AT SAN DIEGO
ZAGS STUMBLE AT SAN DIEGO
- Gonzaga was swept over the weekend at San Diego, dropping a one-run game on Friday before a couple of lopsided losses.
- On Friday, the Zags led 3-0 early, but USD battled back to tie before taking a 5-4 lead in the eighth inning.
- On Saturday and Sunday, San Diego was firing on all cylinders, outscoring Gonzaga 33-2 to earn the series sweep.
- Gonzaga's 19-run defeat is the most under Machtolf, and the highest since 2010.
GONZAGA COMPLETES SEASON SWEEP OF WASHINGTON STATE
GONZAGA COMPLETES SEASON SWEEP OF WASHINGTON STATE
- Gonzaga defeated Washington State 6-4 on the road on Apr. 23, their first win at Bailey-Brayton Field since April 13, 2021.
- Tied entering the ninth inning, Gonzaga scored four runs before shutting down a WSU rally to hang on for the two-run win.
- In their two meetings in 2024, Gonzaga outscored Washington State 28-11 while outhitting them 29-12.
- In the win, Tommy Eisenstat extended his hit streak to 11 games.
EISENSTAT, GRAHAM NOTCH WEST COAST CONFERENCE WEEKLY HONORS
EISENSTAT, GRAHAM NOTCH WEST COAST CONFERENCE WEEKLY HONORS
- Tommy Eisenstat was named WCC Player of the Week and Payton Graham was named WCC Pitcher of the Week on Apr. 22.
- Eisenstat continued his hot hitting against Oregon and Portland, extending his hit streak to ten games. Between Apr. 9 and 22, Eisenstat batted .567 (17-for-30) with nine runs batted in and nine runs scored. During those eight games, Eisenstat compiled seven multi-hit games, including six straight from Apr. 9 - Apr. 21.
- Payton Graham's lone appearance came in perhaps Gonzaga's highest-leverage situation in their series against Portland. Graham entered in Friday's game with a 1-1 tie with two outs in the sixth and the go-ahead run on first base, ending the threat immediately with a strikeout. He earned his first-career win while holding Portland scoreless over three and one-third innings as the Zags earned the 2-1 win.
GONZAGA WINS KEY SERIES OVER PORTLAND
GONZAGA WINS KEY SERIES OVER PORTLAND
- In a West Coast Conference series that pitted the top two teams in the standings, Gonzaga earned a big series win over Portland.
- On Friday, Justin Feld battled Pilots starter Nick Brink in a hefty pitcher's duel. While Feld was unable to earn a decision, the Zags prevailed in a 2-1 win to hand Brink his second-straight losing decision. Payton Graham entered in the sixth and shut down the Pilots over the final three and one-third innings to earn his first career win.
- Liam Paddack battled Carter Gaston on Saturday, with Gaston avenging Friday night's loss as Portland won 4-3 to even the series.
- What looked to continue on Sunday didn't happen, as the bats came alive for both teams in a 22-run, 28-hit combined outing. Trailing by as many as five early, Gonzaga rattled off eight unanswered runs to take a 9-6 lead before Portland eventually knotted the score once again. Four more unanswered runs for the Zags fueled the 13-9 win as Treyson Peters locked down the Pilots to earn a four-inning save.
PROTECTING THE HOME TURF
PROTECTING THE HOME TURF
- With their 2-1 win over Portland on Apr. 19, Gonzaga tied the Patterson Complex record with their ninth straight win at home.
- Since the Patterson Complex opened in 2007, Gonzaga owns a .652 win percentage and a .689 WCC win percentage at home.
ZAGS SWEEP SAN FRANCISCO ON THE ROAD
ZAGS SWEEP SAN FRANCISCO ON THE ROAD
- Gonzaga earned its third West Coast Conference sweep of the season after defeating San Francisco 2-1, 8-0, 3-0 on Apr. 12-14.
- In the final two games of the USF series, GU recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time since April of 2021.
- All three GU starters (Justin Feld, Liam Paddack, Miles Gosztola) earned wins, each pitching at least six shutout innings.
- The lone San Francisco run came on a home run in the ninth inning of game one on Friday.
Players Mentioned
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