SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Gonzaga picked up where they left off last weekend, opening their series in Santa Clara with a 9-1 win over the Broncos on Friday at Stephen Schott Stadium. Tied entering the sixth inning, the Bulldogs rattled off six runs on six hits to break the game open before earning the eight-run win.
 
Gonzaga (16-14, 9-1 WCC) continues their best start to West Coast Conference play in program history after winning their ninth consecutive conference game on Friday.
 
Reigning WCC Player of the Week Mikey Bell got the Zags on the board in the second, blasting his team-leading fifth home run of the season to straightaway center field. Santa Clara (13-17, 2-5 WCC) knotted the score at one in the fifth, their only run off GU starter Finbar O'Brien (W, 3-0).
 
The Bulldogs responded promptly in the top of the sixth, as a one-out double from Josh Hankins opened the big inning. Hits from Hudson Shupe, Bell, Gage Mestas, Max Coupe, and Ty Yukumoto highlighted the frame.
 
O'Brien returned to the mound in the sixth and seventh innings to continue his career-high effort. In total, the Portland-native tallied ten strikeouts, including two in his final inning of work. He would hand the ball to Ryan Hernandez, who completed two shutout innings to secure the win for Gonzaga while striking out three.
 
The Bulldogs extended their streak of games with 10+ hits to nine on Friday, led by three-hit performances from Shupe (3-for-5, RBI, R) who extended his hit streak to 17 games, and Bell (3-for-5, 4 RBI, 2 R, HR, 2B). Yukumoto (2-for-5, RBI, R, 2B) and Hankins (2-for-5, 2 R, 2B) added two hits to the GU onslaught.
 
UP NEXT
Gonzaga and Santa Clara will square off in game two on Saturday, with Miles Gosztola set to pitch against Max Bayles on ESPN+.