April 28, 2008
Game Notes and Statistics in PDF Format 
Games 44-45
No. 23 Oregon State at Gonzaga
Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field (3,500)
Spokane, Wash.
Tuesday, Apr. 29, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Apr. 30, 1 p.m.
Series Record:
OSU leads 55-31
Live Stats: www.gozags.com
Radio: 1510 KGA Television (4/29): GUTV
UP TO BAT: Gonzaga University will host two-time defending national champion No. 23 Oregon State University for a two-game midweek series this week. The series will open Tuesday night at 6 p.m. and conclude with a 1 p.m. first pitch Wednesday. Both games will be played at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field.
ON DECK: Following the set with the Beavers, the Bulldogs will resume league play this weekend hosting the University of San Francisco. The three-game West Coast Conference series with the Dons will open at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Games Saturday and Sunday will be played at 1 p.m. Sunday will mark Senior Day, as Gonzaga recognizes nine Bulldogs for their contributions to the baseball program. Brandon Blank, Ben Greenslitt, Brandon Harmon, Marcus McKimmy, Alex Parrott, Cory Powell, Michael Rhodes, Shawn Wayt and Bryan Winston will all be honored prior to the first pitch.
LAST OUTING: Last weekend, the Gonzaga University baseball team took two-of-three games from Saint Mary's College in West Coast Conference action in Moraga. The Zags opened the series Friday with an 11-3 victory thanks to an impressive outing by starting pitcher Matt Fields. In the contest, Fields allowed one run on three hits over 7.0 innings, while striking out eight. Saturday, the Gaels evened the series with a 3-2 victory before the Bulldogs earned the series victory 18-5 Sunday. Jason Chatwood and Drew Heid each recorded four hits, while Mark Castellitto, Shawn Wayt and Michael Rhodes each went yard in the series finale. Grant Kveder was GU's top run producer in the game, as the junior drove in five runs.
LIVE ON THE RADIO: The Gonzaga University baseball team will have seven remaining games aired live on the radio in the greater Spokane area this season. This week's games against Oregon State University, three games with the University of San Francisco, a re-scheduled contest with Lewis-Clark State College and one game against Washington State University will be aired live on 1510 KGA. The broadcasts will begin 15 minutes prior to the scheduled first pitch. Calling games for the Bulldogs will be Tom Hudson with former head coach Steve Hertz providing color commentary.
HEID NAMED WCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Outfielder Drew Heid has been named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week. Heid earned the accolade after leading the Zags last week with a .667 average. The sophomore went 10-for-15 in four games, with five doubles and a home run while driving in five runs and scoring six. Last weekend, in a three-game WCC series with Saint Mary's College, Heid posted two four-hit performances as he went a perfect 4-for-4 in the series opener, and 4-for-6 Sunday in the series finale. The honor was the fifth weekly conference accolade awarded to a Bulldog this season, as well as the third selection in as many weeks.
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS: Oregon State University enters the week ranked as high as No. 20 in the national polls, boasting a 20-14 overall record, including going 12-7 in non-conference play. The two-time defending national champions are fresh off of a 2-1 series victory over then-No. 23 University of Arizona. The Beavers are led at the plate by Lonnie Lechelt, who is hitting at a team-leading .358 clip. Oregon State's bullpen is bolstered by Kevin Rhoderick. Rhoderick leads the OSU pitching corps with a 0.93 earned run average in 19.1 relief innings. He has also posted nine saves in 14 appearances. All-time against Gonzaga University, the Beavers hold the 55-31 advantage.
ZAGS VS. BEAVERS: Over the past three seasons, Gonzaga University has posted a 3-0 record over Oregon State University. Last season, the Bulldogs scored a run in the ninth inning to take a 6-5 victory from the then-ninth ranked Beavers as part of the Coca-Cola Spring Training Classic in Surprise, Ariz. At the same tournament a year before, Gonzaga posted another ninth inning victory as Ryan Wiegand recorded the game-winning hit to defeat Oregon State 6-5. During the 2005 campaign, the Bulldogs opened the season with a 3-1 win over OSU at the Bob Schaefer Memorial Tournament in Tempe, Ariz.
BULLDOGS VS. PAC-10 FOES: Gonzaga University has posted a 3-2 record in five games against Pacific-10 Conference opponents this season. Ryan Wiegand and Mark Castellitto lead the Bulldogs at the plate as each are hitting over .500 against Pac-10 foes. Wiegand heads up all GU batters with a .591 average and 13 hits, while Castellitto is batting .563 with eight runs scored in the five games.
GONE STREAKING: Second baseman Evan Wells heads into the week looking to extend a team-leading 16-game hit streak. Wells' streak started Apr. 4 at the University of San Diego. During the streak, the junior has hit at an impressive .419 clip, going 26-for-62 with 11 runs batted in and 17 runs scored. Wells is also working on an even longer streak, as he has reached base safely in all but two games this season, including the past 21 contests. The streak is the longest since a 17 game hit streak by Darin Holcomb during the 2006 season.
BATS REMAIN HOT IN MORAGA: Gonzaga University's bats remained hot in last weekend's three-game series at Saint Mary's College. The Zags exploded for 21 hits Sunday, after posting 13 on Friday in the series opener. Saturday, Gonzaga was held to single digit hits for only the third time in the past 15 games. The Zags' 21 hits Sunday tied a season high for the Bulldogs, as they also pounded out 21 on March 14 against New Mexico State University. Gonzaga has now recorded 15 or more hits in 11 games this season, while posting 10 or more hits in 28 games.
ZAGS POST STRONG SEASON AT PLATE: As a team, Gonzaga University is hitting .315 at the plate. Since 2000, the Bulldogs have only finished two seasons hitting over .300. In 2006, the Zags hit at a .302 clip, while in 2002, the Bulldogs hit .305. The Gonzaga record for team batting average in a season was set in 1974, when GU posted a .329 average.
HARMON BECOMES ALL-TIME LEADER: Brandon Harmon has become the Gonzaga University all-time career appearance record holder thanks to an inning for relief Sunday at Saint Mary's. Harmon has seen time on the mound in 82 games of his Bulldog career. Harmon, who has started eight games this season and made seven relief appearances, was tied for fourth with Craig Miller (1979-82) with 67 appearances to start the season. Matt Siwek (1996-00) held the school record with 81 appearances prior to Harmon surpassing the mark.
WIEGAND DRIVES TOWARDS CAREER LIST, ONE SHY OF CRACKING TOP-TEN: Ryan Wiegand, first baseman for the Zags, continues to be a run producer for Gonzaga University as the junior has driven in 53 runs this season. For his career, the native of San Diego has posted 142 RBI, leaving him one short of cracking the career top-ten. For his career, Wiegand has posted 41 multiple-RBI games, including 17 this season. Wiegand drove in a season-high six runs on Mar. 9 at the University of the Pacific.
WAYT, RHODES HIT BACK-TO-BACK HOME RUNS: Shawn Wayt and Michael Rhodes hit back-to-back home runs Sunday in the series finale at Saint Mary's College. Following walks to pinch hitters Brett Nicholas and Anthony Synegal to start the ninth inning, Wayt pinch hit for Mark Castellitto and smashed his first home run of the season for three runs. Rhodes, who was a defensive substitute in the eighth inning, then stepped up to the plate and hit a solo shot in his first at-bat of the game. Also going yard in the game was Castellitto, who hit a solo home run to left center in the third inning.
WIEGAND HEADLINES WCC BATTERS: Junior Ryan Wiegand leads the West Coast Conference in three offensive categories. The first baseman is tied for first in all games with 65 hits, tied for first in doubles with 16 and leads the league in runs batted in with 53. Teammate Evan Wells also leads the league in an offensive category, as the junior has drawn 32 walks this season.
IN HONOR OF JACKIE ROBINSON: Gonzaga University junior Anthony Synegal commemorated the 61st anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball by wearing Robinson's number 42 last week. Across the nation on April 15, all Major League Baseball teams paid tribute to Robinson by recognizing "Jackie Robinson Day" as a way of honoring his pioneering achievements and civil rights contributions. Synegal, who normally wears number 30 for the Zags, is in his first season with the Bulldogs after transferring from San Jose City College.
MARTIN CONTINUES TO IMPRESS: Freshman pitcher Cody Martin continues to improve his impressive rookie resume, as the freshman boasts a team-leading 2.08 earned run average. His ERA also ranks second in the West Coast Conference in all games played. On April 20, in his first career start, the native of Dos Palos, Calif. threw his first career complete game, allowing one run on eight hits while striking out four. Martin also pitched two innings of relief against the University of Washington last week. For the week, he posted a 0.82 ERA, allowing one run on nine hits over 11.0 innings. For the season, Martin boasts a 2.08 ERA in 20 appearances with a 3-0 record. He has allowed 12runs, 10 earned, on 41 hits and nine walks, while striking out 40 over 43.1 innings pitched.
SENIOR TRANSFER SHINES: Marcus McKimmy, a senior transfer for Gonzaga University, is enjoying a standout season in his first year with the Zags. The transfer from San Jose State University is boasting a .327 average, going 55-for-168 with 12 doubles, five home runs, 45 runs scored and 42 runs driven in. Last season, McKimmy was an All-Western Athletic Conference second team selection for the Spartans.
OFFENSIVE THREAT: Eight of the nine batters used in Gonzaga's everyday starting line-up are hitting over .315. Evan Wells heads the brigade with a team-leading .361 average, while Drew Heid is batting .353. Ryan Wiegand and Grant Kveder are hitting .351 and .341, respectively, while Mark Castellitto is posting a strong sophomore season with a .330 average. Transfer Marcus McKimmy and sophomore Tyson Van Winkle are both hit ting at a.327 clip, while Jason Chatwood rounds out the group with a .315 average. Bryan Winston is the lone member of the line-up with an average below .300, as the senior is hitting at a .243 clip.
LIVE ON THE INTERNET: All Gonzaga University home games and select away games will be available via Gametracker on the internet at http://www.gozags.com. Check the Bulldogs' web site for all Gametracker links.
BULLDOG BASEBALL ON TELEVISION: One remaining Gonzaga University West Coast Conference baseball game will be aired on GUTV this season. Tuesday's tilt against two-time defending national champion Oregon State University will be aired on the campus station, which also airs on cable channel 15 in Spokane.
ROOKIE TIES SINGLE SEASON RECORD: Freshman Cody Martin will be looking to become the Gonzaga University single season saves leader this week. On Apr. 12 against Santa Clara University, Martin pitched 2.1 innings allowing no runs on two hits to tie the 26-year old school record of 7 saves. The native of Dos Palos, Calif. is now tied with Randy Bostic (1982) for the record.
WIEGAND DOUBLES HIS WAY INTO ALL-TIME RANKS: Thanks to 16 doubles this season, Ryan Wiegand has propelled himself into the career doubles ranks. For his career, the junior has recorded 44 doubles, placing him ninth on the all-time list. Already this year, Wiegand has surpassed both Mac Gebbers (1978-82) and Don Lyons (1973-76) to enter the list. Gebbers and Lyons were listed at ninth and tenth with 43 and 42 doubles, respectively. The Gonzaga record holder for career doubles is Jerrod Wong (1993-96), who posted 59 all-time doubles.
HARMON PITCHES HIS WAY INTO ALL-TIME LIST: Senior Brandon Harmon has tossed 267.0 career innings, including 55.1 frames this season. His all-time innings pitched currently places him ninth in the career record books. Recently he surpassed Eric Dworkis (2002-04) and Gregg Harris (1983-86) on the list. Both Dworkis and Harris were tied for 10th with 250.0 IP. The native of Spokane is now 0.1 inning short of a tie for ninth place with Tom Gorman (1977-80) The school record for innings pitched is held by Mike Mahoski (1977-80) who logged 373.1 career innings pitched.
PROTECTING POWELL: When senior Cory Powell takes the mound, you may notice something out of the ordinary. Powell, who redshirted the 2007 season, wears a helmet with a protective face mask when he pitches. During his junior season of high school at Borah High in Boise, Idaho, Powell took a ball off the face that changed his appearance on the mound forever. For the remainder of his baseball life he must pitch, play the infield or bat with the face mask, and subsequently the special helmet, in place. Earlier this season, Powell utilized a face mask that fit under a baseball hat, similar to one a basketball player would wear during a game. The mask interrupted his view, so Powell opted to return to wearing the special helmet on the mound.
CONTINGENCY PLAN: Due to inclement weather in Spokane, the scheduled three-game West Coast Conference series between Gonzaga University and Pepperdine University that was scheduled for the last weekend of March had to be modified. The series was shortened to a two-game set in Spokane. The third game of the series will be played, if needed, later in the season should the game be necessary to determine seeding for the WCC Championship. Most likely, the game will be made up at a neutral site in Southern California at the end of the season when the Zags take their already scheduled trip to Los Angeles to face Loyola Marymount University May 16-18.
ZAGS EARN WEEKLY WCC HONORS: Grant Kveder, Marcus McKimmy, Cody Martin, Ryan Wiegand and Drew Heid of the Gonzaga University baseball team have each been awarded West Coast Conference Player of the Week or Pitcher of the Week Accolades this season. Kveder earned the honor on Mar. 17 as the junior led GU to the 2008 Pepsi/Johnny Quick Classic title after batting at a .500 clip with five runs batted in, five runs scored and two stolen bases. McKimmy earned the honor on Mar. 14 as the senior led the Zags to series victories over Utah Valley University and Sacramento State University. During the week, he hit .423, going 11-for-26, with four doubles, a home run and 13 runs batted in. Last week, Martin was awarded Co-Pitcher of the Weeks honors after posting two saves, including tying the school record for saves in a single season. Wiegand was named last week's Co-Player of the Week after posting a .429 average, while Heid was named this week's Player of the Week.
KVEDER NAMED TOURNAMENT MVP: Junior Grant Kveder of the Gonzaga University baseball team was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2008 Pepsi/Johnny Quick Tournament. Kveder was named the MVP after posting an impressive .500 batting average during the six-game event. The Alberta native went 10-for-20 with five runs batted in, five runs scored and two stolen bases. Nine of Kveder's 10 hits came as singles and the junior recorded only one extra-base hit - a double. Kveder's strongest performance at the tournament was a 5-for-5 outing against New Mexico State University on Mar. 14.
BULLDOGS EXCEL IN CLASSROOM: Two members, including one current member, of the Gonzaga University baseball team were awarded All-West Coast Conference academic accolades last season. Former Bulldog Aaron McGuinness and current second baseman Evan Wells each earned the distinction. McGuinness earned a 3.48 grade point average in exercise science while Wells posted a 3.95 GPA in journalism, which also placed him on the University's president's list.
PATTTERSON BASEBALL COMPLEX AND WASHINGTON TRUST FIELD: The 2008 season marks the second year of play at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. The new home of Bulldog baseball is a state-of-the-art facility that also incorporates an old-time baseball feel. The new stadium includes 1,300 theater-style seats and includes classic brick detailing. Major League amenities include a state-of-the-art infield, a professional candle lighting system and authentic home and visitor dugouts with underground passages to full-service clubhouses. The first game at the new facility was March 15, 2007 against Rider University. The facility also features eight light poles, two which are 90 feet tall while the other six stand at 80 feet.
HEAD COACH Mark Machtolf: Mark Machtolf is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Gonzaga University baseball and 17th season as a member of the Bulldogs' coaching staff. Since being named head coach, Machtolf has posted a 139-120 record for a .537 winning percentage, placing him third all-time in Gonzaga history. During his tenure with the Zags', he has led the Zags to four-top five finishes and produced the 2004 WCC Player of the Year, Kiel Thibault, and the 2007 WCC Pitcher of the Year, Clayton Mortensen. He has overseen 33 Zags who have signed professional contracts, including 22 that were drafted into the Major Leagues. Under his guidance, Gonzaga has also landed 69 all-conference selections in addition to 15 All-WCC Academic honors. During the summer of 2006, Machtolf served as an assistant coach for Team USA. Under his guidance, the team posted a 28-2-1 record, including going a perfect at 8-0 record the Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) World Championships in Havanna, Cuba. A 1987 graduate of Stanford University, Machtolf was a member of the Cardinal's 1987 College World Series championship team and was an All-CWS selection.
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