Posted: May 19, 2018
SPOKANE, Wash. – The Gonzaga baseball lineup jumped on the Santa Clara pitching staff early and often en route to a 9-0 win over the Broncos on Sunday. The Zags (29-21, 16-10 WCC) sent 10 batters to the plate in each of the first two innings scoring five runs in the opening frame and four runs in the second with Jake Vieth driving in four of those runs.
Meanwhile, Gonzaga's starting pitcher Alek Jacob (6-5) was dominant allowing just three hits and no runs over seven innings, retiring 10 Broncos in a row at one point and striking out six consecutive batters in that stretch. The Broncos were able to muster just one hit off of Jacob after Evan Haberle (1-for-2) doubled with one out in the second when Grant Meylan singled with two outs in the seventh.
Two Gonzaga relievers, Matthew Henckel and Taylor Davis pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth inning for the combine shutout.
Santa Clara's (25-26, 11-15 WCC) best scoring chance came in the first inning when Jason Dicochea (1-for-2) and John Cresto reached base on a single and a walk, moving to scoring positions on a balk by Jacob. However, Jacob struck out Matt Smithwick to end the threat. It was one of 12 strikeouts on the evening for the right-hander.
Reliever Luke Martin-Resnick pitched a career-high 5 2/3 innings in relief of Bronco starter Freddie Erlandson (4-5) who failed to register an out. Aside from the four run second inning, Martin-Resnick pitched a scoreless ball the rest of the way.
Freshman Cade Negley pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for the Broncos allowing two hits and no runs.
Santa Clara will look to salvage the series on Sunday in the season finale. Santa Clara will have Penn Murfee (5-3, 3.81 ERA) on the mound against Mac Lardner (6-2, 2.40 ERA).
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