 |
Zags Bullpen Backed By Pair Of Big Innings, Win 9-3
Feb. 20, 2010
TUCSON, Ariz. - A pair of big innings helped Gonzaga University to a 9-3 victory over New Mexico State University in the second day of the Cactus Classic played at Tucson Electric Park, the Arizona Diamondbacks spring training home field. The game took well over seven hours to be completed as rain showers in the Tucson area forced the Zags (2-0) and Aggies (0-2) to halt play after the conclusion of the fifth inning for just over four hours before the two teams returned to finish the game at 4 p.m. (PST). Gonzaga wasted no time in putting the game out of reach after the delay, following up its four-run fifth inning with a five-run sixth before holding off NMSU for the 9-3 win. Sean Wilson provided the offense for GU, finishing with three hits and five RBI in support of three Bulldogs pitchers, led by Reedy Berg who fired four scoreless innings of relief to earn his first career save. NMSU built at 3-0 lead through four innings after putting up two runs in the second inning and one more in the fourth off of Bulldog starting pitcher Tyler Olson. Freshmen reliever and Spokane's University High product Billy Moon came into the game with one out in fourth after Olson had just walked in a run and got out of a bases loaded jam with a line out and groundout. With the rain pouring down the two teams played before a couple NMSU miscues and some timely hitting by Gonzaga gave them the lead. In the fifth inning, Chris Sturdivant was hit by a pitch with one out and following a pop-out, Andy Hunter reached on an error by the NMSU shortstop to put two runners on. Mark Castellitto picked up the Zags first clutch hit of the day as he singled through the right side of the infield to score Sturdivant for GU's first run of the game. Royce Bolinger then worked a walk to load the bases for Wilson. NMSU went to the bullpen and Wilson made them pay, driving a bases-clearing three-run double into right centerfield to give Gonzaga a 4-3 lead. Cameron Edman then flew out to end the inning and play was suspended due to rain for the next four-plus hours.
Following the rain delay, the Bulldogs decided to go with the lefthander Berg on the mound and he didn't disappoint. He held a very potent NMSU offense to just four hits and struck out four over four innings and was backed by the Zags offense who posted their second big inning of the day, putting up five runs in the sixth inning to push their lead to 9-3. Ortiz led off the inning with a single to left field and lead-off hitter Drew Heid followed with a base-hit of his own. Heid then stole second to put runners on second and third for Sturdivant who reached on an error by the NMSU shortstop as Ortiz crossed the plate for the inning's first run. Clayton Eslick followed with an RBI single to centerfield and after a double play, the Aggies walked the next hitters to load the bases. Wilson came through for the second straight at-bat, driving in two more runs with a base-hit to right field to make it an 8-3 ball game. Cameron Edman then greeted another new NMSU pitcher with an RBI single, scoring Bolinger for the fifth and final run of the inning. It was all Berg from then on, as he needed to just escape a minor jam in the seventh inning with a strikeout before he also closed out the eighth and ninth innings via strikeout to record the save. Bolinger finished with two hits and also scored two runs while Moon picked up his first career win with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Gonzaga will not face the University of Washington Saturday night as previously scheduled but will now face the Huskies 12:30 p.m. Sunday to close out play at the Cactus Classic. |
