SPOKANE, Wash. – In a battle of the top two teams in the West Coast Conference, San Diego won the series opener 11-5 on Friday at Patterson Baseball Complex and Coach Steve Hertz Field. A four-run seventh inning broke a 4-4 tie and carried the Toreros to the game one win.
 
San Diego (16-24, 10-3 WCC) posted single runs in each of the first three innings, but Gonzaga (18-20, 10-3 WCC) responded with a four-run third inning to regain the lead. A run in the fifth for USD brought the score to a 4-4 tie for nearly two full frames.
 
Despite just one hit in the top of the seventh, San Diego took advantage of a walk, two hit-by-pitches, an error, and a passed ball to plate four and take an 8-4 lead. The Bulldogs got one back in the next half-inning, but two more runs for USD in the eighth made it 10-5. An insurance run in the ninth put the game away for good as Andrew Mosiello shut down the Zags in a 1-2-3 frame to seal the win.
 
Starters Finbar O'Brien (ND) and Logan Reddemann (ND) each allowed four earned runs in their no decision outings. Hayden Cody (W, 2-3) earned the win despite just 0.1 innings of work. Erik Hoffberg (L, 2-3) did not allow an earned run, but four unearned runs under his watch tabbed him with the loss when USD took the lead for good.
 
UP NEXT
Gonzaga will look to even the series on Saturday, as Miles Gosztola and Cal Scolari will duel on the mound at 6 p.m. on SWX and ESPN+.