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Six Zags Record Multiple-Hits In 7-4 Victory
May 16, 2008 Los Angeles, Calif. - The bottom four batters in Gonzaga University's line-up accounted for 10 of the Bulldogs' 14 hits Friday as the Zags posted a 7-4 victory over Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Tyson Van Winkle led GU at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and one run scored. The game was the opening contest of a three-game West Coast Conference series with the Lions. With two games remaining in the season, Gonzaga (29-22 overall, 9-9 WCC) is now one game short of 30-wins. Should the Zags hit the mark, it would mark the second consecutive season with 30-plus wins. It would also mark the first time in27 years that GU has won 30 or more games to back-to-back years. Gonzaga last accomplished the feat during the 1981 and 1982 seasons. Bulldog starter Matt Fields (8-3) posted an impressive outing to earn the win. The junior threw a perfect game through four innings and did not surrender a hit until the sixth inning, as Fields finished the contest allowing three runs on five hits, while striking out seven over 7.2 innings. CJ McClure earned his second save of the season for GU, allowing only one hit during the final 1.1 frames of the game. LMU (22-31 overall, 6-13 WCC) starter Martin Viramontes (3-6) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on nine hits, seven walks, over 6.0 innings. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 2-0 start in the first inning. With one out, Jason Chatwood singled to left, before advancing to second on a walk to Drew Heid. Ryan Wiegand then drew a walk to load the bases. The next batter, Marcus McKimmy, then hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Chatwood. Heid remained at second and scored on the next play, as Mark Castellitto hit a single up the middle.
Gonzaga added another pair of runs in the top of the second. Van Winkle led off the frame with his first hit of the game, a single, before advancing to second on a single by Bryan Winston. Following a walk to Evan Wells, Chatwood hit into a double play that brought Van Winkle in for the third run of the game. On the next play, Heid doubled down the right field line, scoring Winston and brining the score to 4-0 in favor of the Zags. GU continued adding runs to its total in the top of the third. Grant Kveder, who reached on a single and advanced to third on a Van Winkle double, scored the lone run of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Winston. The score remained 5-0 until the top of the seventh, when the Zags added an addition two runs to their score. Castellitto led off the inning reaching second on a two-base error before scoring on a triple to right center by Kveder. Kveder would then eventually score on a single by Winston. The Lions broke the shutout in the bottom of the seventh, as Angelo Songco hit a solo home run to center field to lead off the inning. LMU added three more runs in the top of the eighth, thanks to a one-run single by Songco and a two-run home run by Ryan Wheeler. In addition to Van Winkle's three hits, Chatwood, Heid, Castellitto, Kveder and Winston each recorded multiple hits, while Winston drove in a team-leading two runs. The Zags will be search of their 30th win of the season Saturday, as they face the Lions in the second game of the three-game set. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Page Stadium. |
